By JIM ANDERSON

The Daily News

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula jobless rate ticked down to 4.1% in October, falling 0.1 percentage points even as 1,400 more workers entered the job market, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology Management & Budget.

“Michigan unemployment rates generally exhibited minor declines despite auto-related layoffs throughout the state in October,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director of the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. The statewide not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points to 4.2% in October, largely influenced by strikes in the auto sector, Rourke said.

Regional October jobless rates in Michigan ranged from a low of 3.2% in the Grand Rapids area to a high of 4.9% in northeast Lower Michigan.

The U.P.’s jobless rate of 4.1% was down from 4.3% a year ago. Its civilian labor force was estimated at 138,800 in October, up by 1,400 over the month and 4,900 over the year. There were 5,700 workers unemployed, down by 100 from September as well as a year ago.

Meanwhile, Michigan’s workforce rose by half a percent over the month but the national labor force total edged down 0.1%. Increases in statewide industries such as education and health services were partially offset by employment decreases in the manufacturing and leisure and hospitality sectors, Rourke said.

The U.S. unemployment rate edged up by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.9% in October, up from 3.7% a year ago. The nation’s jobless rate in pre-pandemic 2019 was 3.6%.

Dickinson County’s October jobless rate of 3.6% was down from 3.8% in September and 3.8% in October 2022. The civilian labor force in October numbered 12,347 with 444 unemployed. In October 2022 there 12,098 workers with 458 jobless.

In Iron County, October’s unemployment rate of 4.3% was down from 4.7% in September and 5.2% a year ago. There were 4,737 workers in October, including 202 unemployed, compared to 4,617 workers a year ago when there were 238 jobless.

Mackinac County had the U.P.’s lowest October jobless rate at 3.4%. Dickinson’s 3.6% rate was second-lowest while Marquette and Menominee counties were both at 3.7%.

The highest rate in the region was 5.6% in Schoolcraft County followed by 5.4% in Ontonagon County.

OCTOBER 2023 UNEMPLOYMENT

COUNTY ………………… RATE

Mackinac …………………….. 3.4%

Dickinson …………………….. 3.6%

Marquette …………………….. 3.7%

Menominee ………………….. 3.7%

Gogebic ……………………… 3.9%

Houghton ……………………. 3.9%

Keweenaw …………………… 4.0%

Chippewa ……………………. 4.2%

Iron …………………………… 4.3%

Luce …………………………. 4.4%

Baraga ………………………. 4.5%

Alger…………………………. 4.9%

Delta…………………………. 5.0%

Ontonagon ……………………. 5.4%

Schoolcraft ……………………… 5.6%

U.P. …………………………. 4.1%

Michigan …………………….. 4.2%

U.S. …………………………. 3.9%