Northeast Michigan unemployment lowest in a year
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ALPENA -- Northeast Michigan unemployment fell to its lowest point in a year last month, recently released state data shows.
The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget recorded a 5.03% unemployment rate across Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, and Alcona counties in September.
That's down from 5.8% in August and the lowest recorded Northeast Michigan unemployment rate since September 2021's 4.94%, according to the data.
The dip happened as the labor force -- a measurement of those either working or actively looking for work -- shrank by 186 people, but the ranks of unemployed -- those looking for work but unable to find it -- shrank by 194 people.
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Those numbers can shrink because workers died, moved away, or gave up looking for work.
According to DTMB, 1,259 Northeast Michiganders were unemployed last month, down from 1,453 in August.
The statewide unemployment rate fell from 4% in August to 3.7% in September.
In September, Alpena County's 4.1% unemployment rate tied with several other counties for the 37th-lowest unemployment rate among Michigan's 83 counties.
Presque Isle County's 5.5% unemployment ranked 69th.
Montmorency County's 6.6% was the second-highest unemployment rate in the state.
And Alcona County's 5.6% ranked 71st.
DTMB recorded the lowest unemployment in the state in Livingston County, at 2.1%.
The highest unemployment rate was recorded in both Oscoda and Roscommon counties, where 7.7% of the labor force couldn't find work.