April 14, 2026
Total covered employment represents the number of surveyed workers who worked during, or received pay for, the pay period that included the 12th day of the month. From September 2024 to September 2025, Michigan’s total covered employment declined by 17,600 employees across the state. Michigan’s average weekly wages increased by $57 over the year, from $1,266 in the third quarter of 2024 to $1,323 in the third quarter of 2025. Thirty-five counties had a higher percentage increase in average weekly wages than the state overall (+4.5 percent).
Over-the-year employment increased in 44 of Michigan’s 83 counties. Allegan County (+2,900), Genesee County (+1,400), and Saginaw County (+1,100) had the largest employment increases. These were the only counties with a gain of at least 1,000 employees over the period. The average increase in employment was 317 employees across the counties that saw gains.
The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment was in Leelanau County (+10.1 percent). Allegan County saw the second highest increase with 6.8 percent, while Luce County and Keweenaw County round out the counties with an increase of at least 5 percent (+5.7 percent and +5.0 percent respectively). Twenty-two counties saw at least a 1.0 percent increase in employment between September 2024 and September 2025, with 15 of those having at least a 2.0 percent increase.
The three largest decreases in employment from September 2024 to September 2025 were in Oakland County (-9,900), Wayne County (-8,800), and Macomb County (-4,600). Two other counties lost more than 1,000 employees over the year: Ottawa County (-3,100) and Muskegon County (-1,500). Thirty-nine of the 83 counties experienced a decrease in employment over the year.
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Changes in Employment for Michigan Counties with the 10 Largest Decreases, Total Covered Employment, September 2024 to September 2025
Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Roscommon County (-7.4 percent), Missaukee County (-5.9 percent), and Gogebic County (-5.2 percent) saw the biggest percentage declines in employment over the year. Interestingly, Gogebic County is one of only three counties that saw a decrease in average weekly wages over the same period (-$13). Twenty-six counties saw a decrease in employment of at least 1.0 percent over the year, but only half (13) of those counties saw a decline of more than 2.0 percent.
The average weekly wages in Michigan increased by $57 from the third quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025 ($1,266 to $1,323). Five counties (Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw, Macomb, Ingham) had an average weekly wage greater than the state average ($1,323) in the third quarter of 2025. All five counties saw an increase in their average weekly wages of at least $30. Of those five counties, Washtenaw County was the only one to see an increase in employment over the period (+806).
The largest increase was in Muskegon County, which saw a $115 increase over the period. Wayne County (+$84), Missaukee County (+$82), Kalkaska County (+$79), and Keweenaw County (+$79) round out the top five largest increases. Eighty of Michigan’s counties saw an increase in average weekly wages over the year. Twenty-two counties saw an increase in average weekly wages greater than, or equal to, Michigan’s increase (+$57).
Only three out of 83 counties in Michigan had a decline in average weekly wages over the year. Gogebic County had the largest decline, dropping $13, while Newaygo County lost $10 and Luce County dropped by $2 over the same period. Of these counties, Luce County is the only one to see an increase in employment from the third quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025 (+106).
Percentage Change in Average Weekly Wages from Michigan Counties, Total Covered Employment, September 2024 to September 2025
Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Michigan had a percentage growth in average weekly wages of +4.5 percent from the third quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025. The largest percentage increase in county average weekly wages was +11.7 percent in Muskegon County, with Keweenaw County close behind at +11.3 percent. The final counties within the top five percentage increases were Missaukee (+9.6 percent), Clare (+8.6 percent), and Ontonagon (+8.5 percent). Thirty-five of 83 counties saw a percentage increase larger than the Michigan average (+4.5 percent).
Gogebic County had the largest decrease in average weekly wages over the year, both numerically and by percentage (-$13, -1.4 percent). Newaygo County (-1.0 percent) and Luce County (-0.2 percent) were the only other counties to see a decrease.
Michigan’s employment fell by 17,600 from September 2024 to September 2025. The average weekly wages saw an increase of $57 over the same period, a +4.5 percent increase. Eighty of the 83 Michigan counties had an increase in their average weekly wages while over half of them saw an increase in employment.
Year-to-year variations in industry and county data can be due to the impact of administrative changes that are not related to actual economic events. These revisions include reclassification of industry codes and adjustments to county geographic codes that will create year-to-year series breaks in employment and wage levels.
