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State study shows more Northeast Michigan residents unemployed

By The Alpena News

ALPENA — Northeast Michigan’s unemployment rate climbed from May to June as more residents who wanted to work couldn’t find a job.

The unemployment rate across Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, and Alcona counties stood at 6.4% in June, according to recently released figures from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget.

That’s up from about 5.6% in May and slightly higher than the 6.35% recorded in June 2021.

June marked the first time the region’s unemployment rate has gone up since February.

The statewide unemployment rate also ticked up to 4.8% last month from 4.6% in May, according to the DTMB.

The numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

According to the DTMB figures, Northeast Michigan’s labor force — a count of people either working or looking for work — fell by 80 people from May to June to 26,181 people last month.

The number of unemployed people across the four counties — those looking for work but unable to find it — climbed by 204 people in that time to 1,608 people last month.

In short, fewer people were actively looking for work in June, but more of those looking for work were unable to find it.

Alpena’s unemployment rate climbed from 4.3% to 5.1% from May to June, and tied with several other counties for the 38th-lowest unemployment rate among Michigan’s 83 counties.

Presque Isle County’s unemployment rate climbed from 6.3% to 6.8% and ranked 69th.

Montmorency County’s unemployment rate climbed from 7.5% to 8.4% and ranked as the second-worst unemployment rate in the state.

Alcona County’s rate climbed from 6.1% to 7.1% and ranked 73rd.

The state’s lowest unemployment rate was Livingston County’s 3.2%. The highest was Roscommon County’s 9%.

The national unemployment rate stood at 3.6%.

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