Michigan and U.P. unemployment rates decline in October

LANSING — Michigan has just received some good news when it comes to unemployment. The seasonally unadjusted jobless rate for October is down in 16 of the state’s 17 labor markets, including the Upper Peninsula.

The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget says the U.P.’s October unemployment rate was 5.8%. That’s down from 6.4% in September and 8.3% at the same time last year.

The state average was 6.4%. That was down slightly from September and down by nearly two points from a year earlier.

Here’s a look at October’s county-by-county numbers for the Upper Peninsula, from lowest to highest:

Mackinac — 4.1%
Menominee — 4.9%
Dickinson — 5%
Marquette — 5.1%
Houghton — 5.6%
Delta — 5.9%
Iron — 6%
Keweenaw — 6.2%
Luce — 6.5%
Alger — 6.6%
Gogebic — 6.7%
Chippewa — 7.2%
Schoolcraft — 7.5%
Baraga — 8.1%
Ontonagon — 8.7%