November 05, 2026
Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 5.0 percent in September, unchanged since August.
During September, the U.S. unemployment rate edged up by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.2 percent. The statewide rate was 0.8 percentage points greater than the national rate. Since September 2025, the U.S. jobless rate fell by two-tenths of a percentage point, while the statewide jobless rate inched up by one-tenth of a percentage point over the year. Michigan’s September jobless rate of 5.0 percent was tied with Oregon as the third highest rate in the nation. Additionally, Michigan’s unemployment rate averaged 5.0 percent during the third quarter of 2026, which was the fourth largest quarterly rate in the nation.
Over the month, Michigan’s labor force fell by 0.5 percent, while the U.S. workforce inched up by 0.3 percent. Total statewide employment declined by 0.6 percent, while total nationwide employment edged up by 0.2 percent during September. Over the month, Michigan’s unemployment level rose by 0.4 percent, about one-third of the increase seen in the U.S. (+1.1 percent).
Since September 2025, Michigan’s labor force declined by 3.6 percent, while the national workforce inched down by 0.6 percent. Statewide employment levels decreased by 3.6 percent, while U.S. employment levels fell by 0.3 percent. Over the year, Michigan’s unemployment total receded by 2.0 percent, 4.5 percentage points less than the national unemployment decline (-6.5 percent).
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.
