July 15, 2026
Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate rose by one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to 5.1 percent during May.
The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged between April and May at 4.3 percent. Michigan’s May jobless rate was 0.8 percentage points higher than the national rate. Over the year, both the U.S. and statewide unemployment rates remained unchanged. Michigan, along with three other states, tied for the fifth largest jobless rate in the nation during May, behind California, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada.
Michigan’s labor force receded by 0.4 percent between April and May, while the national workforce was unchanged. Total statewide employment fell by 0.4 percent, while the U.S. employment level advanced by 0.1 percent. The total number of unemployed people in the state increased by 0.4 percent in May, while the national unemployment level receded by 0.9 percent.
Over the year, Michigan’s labor force decreased by 2.2 percent, a decrease 2.0 percentage points greater than the workforce decline seen nationally (-0.2 percent). Statewide employment receded by 2.2 percent, while the U.S. employment level fell by 0.3 percent. The number of unemployed people in Michigan decreased by 2.7 percent since May 2025, while the national number of unemployed rose by 0.8 percent over the year.
Author:
Seasonally Adjusted
Note: October 2025 data is unavailable due to interruption in household survey data collection.
Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
For more information on Michigan's statewide and regional labor markets, read the full press releases from the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Download custom employment and unemployment data with the MCDA Data Search tool.
