Counties with the highest unemployment in Michigan

2024 ended on a high note, with the unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Jan. 10.

Unemployment rates were higher in November than the prior year in 308 of 389 metro areas, though they dropped in 60 areas and remained unchanged in 21 areas, the BLS reported.

The lion's share of job growth remained in government, social assistance, and health care, with openings in nursing, residential care facilities, and home health care leading employment in the latter sector.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Michigan, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in November 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Biden's economic legacy, inauguration day, and immigration's impact on jobs

The latest BLS report highlights the final job figures under the Biden administration, giving the outgoing president a win during his final weeks in office. President Biden highlighted the creation of 16.6 million jobs during his term in a Jan. 11 statement.

"Although I inherited the worst economic crisis in decades with unemployment above 6% when I took office, we've had the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years with unemployment at 4.1% as I leave," he said.

Incoming President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a strong economy, with forecasts tracking ongoing growth into 2025. However, uncertainty remains. Trump's proposed tariffs on foreign goods coupled with a sweeping deportation operation may have a significant impact on the economy, accelerating inflation and tamping down job growth, some experts forecast.

"I worry that immigration will be significantly lower than the long-term average of 1.0 million. I worry that tariffs will be universal and lead to a trade war. That would not be good for the economy and earnings," Hugh Johnson, chairman emeritus at Graypoint, told U.S. News.

What does all this mean for middle-class Americans? The unemployment rate is projected to remain stable, only creeping up to 4.3%, according to the Federal Reserve's latest Summary of Economic Projections. Experts suggest paying down mortgages, revisiting investment strategies, and paying attention to taxes before rates possibly shift as Inauguration Day draws close.

The big story: California wildfires still rage

Although Goldman predicts only a "modest drag" on U.S. jobs due to the devastating California wildfires, the situation is still ongoing. Small businesses destroyed by the fires will impact local jobs; in the wake of the fires, a surge in construction and the need for labor and materials might lead to localized shortages and rising costs, impacting several industries.

However, amid political and environmental uncertainty, it's unclear which way the winds will blow. Americans will have to simply wait for the smoke to clear.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Michigan.

#50. Lenawee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 46,704 people (2,244 unemployed)

#49. Lapeer County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 40,818 people (1,982 unemployed)

#48. Bay County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 51,128 people (2,511 unemployed)

#47. Berrien County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 76,722 people (3,755 unemployed)

#46. Hillsdale County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,757 people (1,048 unemployed)

#45. Van Buren County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 36,191 people (1,793 unemployed)

#44. Calhoun County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 63,503 people (3,194 unemployed)

#43. St. Clair County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 75,851 people (3,821 unemployed)

#42. Otsego County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,689 people (601 unemployed)

#41. Tuscola County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,932 people (1,263 unemployed)

#40. Gogebic County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,920 people (308 unemployed)

#39. Sanilac County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,169 people (1,044 unemployed)

#38. Muskegon County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 81,706 people (4,276 unemployed)

#37. Antrim County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,296 people (545 unemployed)

#36. Delta County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,903 people (904 unemployed)

#35. Monroe County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 81,126 people (4,283 unemployed)

#34. Macomb County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 450,852 people (23,746 unemployed)

#33. Kalkaska County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,226 people (442 unemployed)

#32. Mason County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,129 people (706 unemployed)

#31. Wexford County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,231 people (817 unemployed)

#30. Genesee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 189,419 people (10,253 unemployed)

#29. Osceola County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,165 people (718 unemployed)

#28. Emmet County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,486 people (920 unemployed)

#27. Saginaw County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 86,368 people (4,807 unemployed)

#26. Keweenaw County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,011 people (58 unemployed)

#25. Chippewa County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,816 people (963 unemployed)

#24. Mecosta County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,226 people (1,148 unemployed)

#23. Iron County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,746 people (282 unemployed)

#22. Manistee County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,881 people (594 unemployed)

#21. Gladwin County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,533 people (635 unemployed)

#20. Ogemaw County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,599 people (525 unemployed)

#19. Iosco County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,902 people (661 unemployed)

#18. Wayne County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 808,569 people (50,681 unemployed)

#17. Crawford County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,639 people (363 unemployed)

#16. Oceana County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,675 people (742 unemployed)

#15. Baraga County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,292 people (223 unemployed)

#14. Schoolcraft County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,374 people (231 unemployed)

#13. Clare County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,152 people (821 unemployed)

#12. Lake County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,309 people (297 unemployed)

#11. Arenac County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,206 people (428 unemployed)

#10. Ontonagon County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,104 people (149 unemployed)

#9. Alcona County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,713 people (262 unemployed)

#8. Luce County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 3.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,116 people (158 unemployed)

#7. Presque Isle County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,184 people (393 unemployed)

#6. Montmorency County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,244 people (251 unemployed)

#5. Roscommon County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,578 people (675 unemployed)

#4. Cheboygan County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 3.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 3.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,050 people (822 unemployed)

#3. Alger County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 2.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 4.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,276 people (292 unemployed)

#2. Mackinac County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 5.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 6.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,476 people (418 unemployed)

#1. Oscoda County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 4.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,835 people (279 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Elena Cox, writing by Alizah Salario, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.