By JIM ANDERSON

Iron Mountain

Daily News

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula jobless rate dipped to 5.3% in August as 800 fewer workers were unemployed than in July, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.

The region’s not-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down 0.5% from July but up by 0.8% from the 4.5% rate seen a year ago.

“Michigan’s regions displayed typical seasonal jobless rate reductions in August, and payroll jobs advanced throughout most areas,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. “However, unemployment rates were elevated compared to August 2023, similar to the national and statewide trend.”

The U.P.’s civilian labor force was estimated at 141,000 in August, including 7,500 unemployed. That’s 1,100 more jobless than a year ago when the labor force estimate was the same.

Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up by 0.1% in August to 4.5%, while the national jobless rate receded by 0.1% to 4.2%. Over the year, the national unemployment rate rose by 0.4%, while the statewide rate increased by 0.5%.

The largest over-the-month employment gain in Michigan occurred in manufacturing, where 6,000 jobs were added. Employment rebounded in that sector from seasonal July reductions, Rourke said.

Dickinson County’s August jobless rate of 4.7% was down from 6% in July but up from 3.6% a year ago. The county showed a labor force of 12,400 in August, with 582 out of work. That compared with a labor force of 12,436 in July, when 740 were jobless.

In August 2023, Dickinson County had a reported labor force of 13,012, including 471 jobless.

Iron County’s August unemployment rate of 5.7% was down from 6.4% in July but up from 4.7% in August 2023. The labor force numbered 4,881 in August, including 279 seeking work. A year ago, the labor force was pegged at 5,061, with 236 unemployed.

Mackinac County had the U.P.’s lowest jobless rate in August at 3.4%, followed by Dickinson’s 4.7% rate and Marquette County at 4.8%. The highest U.P. rates were 7.1% in Ontonagon County and 6.9% in Baraga County.

Eighty-two of Michigan’s 83 counties demonstrated jobless rate reductions over the month, with a median decline of 0.6%. Seventy-nine counties, however, exhibited unemployment gains over the year.

In Wisconsin, data from the Department of Workforce Development showed Florence County’s not-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 2.7% in August was down from 4.1% in July and 2.9% a year ago. Marinette County’s 3.4% rate in August compared with 4.3% in July and 4.1% in August 2023.

Jobless rates decreased in all 72 Wisconsin counties over the month and over the year, preliminary DWD data showed. Three Wisconsin counties, including Door at 1.9%, achieved all-time-low unemployment rates.

August jobless rates*:

Mackinac: 3.4%

Dickinson: 4.7%

Marquette: 4.8%

Houghton: 5.2%

Menominee: 5.2%

Delta: 5.7%

Iron : 5.7%

Chippewa: 5.8%

Luce: 6.0%

Keweenaw: 6.1%

Gogebic: 6.3%

Schoolcraft: 6.5%

Alger: 6.6%

Baraga: 6.9%

Ontonagon: 7.1%

U.P: 5.3%

Michigan: 4.5%

*Rates are not seasonally adjusted