IRON MOUNTAIN — Upper Peninsula jobless rates held steady in March, ticking down by 0.1 percentage points from February to 7.3%, but up from 6.3% 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 133,200, down by 300 from February but up by 1,500 workers from March 2022.

There were 9,700 people unemployed in March, down by 100 from February. In March 2022, 8,300 workers were listed as unemployed.

“Michigan regional labor markets recorded positive trends in March,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director of the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Jobless rates declined in 12 Michigan regions and remained unchanged in five labor market areas during March, he said.

The unemployment rate declines ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 percentage points, with a median decrease of 0.2 percentage points.

The statewide seasonally unadjusted jobless rate in March was 4.1%, down from 4.6% in February and 4.5% a year ago. The civilian labor force in Michigan increased by 0.6% over the month and 0.8% over the year.

“The largest over-the-month employment gains occurred in the leisure and hospitality sector,” Rourke said.

The U.S. unemployment rate of 3.5% in March was down from 3.6% in February, which was also the rate a year ago.

Dickinson County’s jobless rate of 4.9% was unchanged from February and compared with a rate of 4.7% in March 2022. The civilian labor force was estimated at 11,919 in March, with 581 looking for work. In March 2022 there were 12,074 workers in the county, including 568 unemployed.

The unemployment rate in Iron County was 8.1% in March, down from 8.6% in February but up from 6.4% a year ago. The civilian labor force of 4,595 in Iron County was down from 4,786 a year ago. There were 372 unemployed in March, up from 307 in March 2022.

Sixty-four Michigan counties had unemployment rate decreases over the month, while seven had rate increases and 12 stayed the same, Rourke said. Jobless rates rose in 75 of the state’s 83 counties over the year.

Menominee County had the lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in February at 4.7%, followed by Dickinson’s 4.9% rate and Gogebic County at 5.9%.

Mackinac County had the highest unemployment in both the U.P. and the state at 21.6%. Alger County had the second-highest U.P. rate at 11.7%, followed by Schoolcraft County at 10.7%.