IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula jobless rate rose to 7.4% in February, only 0.2 percentage points higher than January but up by 0.7 percentage points from a year ago, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.

The civilian labor force in the U.P. was estimated at 133,500, up by 1,000 from January and 2,200 from a year ago, There were 9,800 workers unemployed in February — 300 more than in January.

“Labor force levels were up across all regions in February,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director of the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. “Changes in regional unemployment rates were mixed over the month.”

The statewide seasonally unadjusted jobless rate in February was 4.6%, down from 4.8% in January and 4.9% a year ago.

The U.S. unemployment rate of 3.6% was up from 3.4% in January but down from 3.8% in February 2022.

In February 2020, prior to COVID-19 shutdowns, the U.S. jobless rate was 3.5%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Dickinson County’s jobless rate of 4.9% was up from 4.7% in January and the same as February 2022. The civilian labor force was pegged at 11,973 in February, including 592 jobless — figures that mirrored reports from a year ago.

The unemployment rate in Iron County jumped to 8.6% in February, up from 8% in January and 6.9% in February 2022. The civilian labor force of 4,595 in Iron County was down from 4,744 a year ago. There were 393 unemployed in February, up from 329 in February 2022.

Forty-four Michigan counties had unemployment rate increases over the month, while 22 counties exhibited rate decreases and 17 county rates were unchanged, Rourke said. Jobless rates rose in 63 of the state’s 83 counties over the year.

Menominee County had the lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in February at 4.8%, followed by Dickinson’s 4.9% rate and Houghton County at 5.7%.

Mackinac County had the highest unemployment in both the U.P. and the state at 22.7%. Alger County had the second-highest U.P. rate at 11%, followed by Schoolcraft County at 10.9%.

February 2023 unemployment

COUNTY RATE

Menominee ………. 4.8%

Dickinson…………. 4.9%

Houghton …………. 5.7%

Gogebic …………… 5.9%

Marquette ………… 6.2%

Delta ………………. 7.3%

Keweenaw ………… 7.4%

Ontonagon ……….. 7.8%

Luce ………………. 7.9%

Iron ……………….. 8.6%

Chippewa………… 8.9%

Baraga …………… 9.1%

Schoolcraft………..10.9%

Alger ……………. 11.0%

Mackinac…………. 22.7%

U.P. ………………… 7.4%

Michigan …………… 4.6%

U.S. ………………… 3.6%