Michigan was home to 17 of the 25 counties with the highest unemployment numbers in the nation in April.
According to a database from Lansing State Journal, Cheboygan County led the nation in unemployment with a 41.2 percent unemployment rate. Second in the nation was Mackinac County at 38.1 percent.
Three of the top five highest unemployment rates in the nation were in Michigan in April, including Roscommon County, which had an unemployment rate of 34.3 percent.
Other Michigan counties in the top 25 included:
- Montmorency County: 34.2
- Oscoda County: 33.2
- Clare County: 32.9
- Arenac County: 32.3
- Charlevoix County: 32.2
- Tuscola County: 32.2
- Manistee County: 31.7
- Wexford County: 31.5
- Sanilac County: 31
- Lapeer County: 30.6
- Emmet County: 30.4
- Lake County: 30.4
- St. Joseph County: 30.3
- Genesee County: 30.1
For all 17 counties, April’s unemployment numbers were the highest on record in the last 30 years, with the exception of Mackinac County, which had a 40.3 percent unemployment rate in January 1992.
Michigan didn’t have any counties in the 25 counties with the lowest unemployment numbers nationally. Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska had the most counties with the lowest unemployment.
Michigan’s unemployment claims dropped to 956,418 in the week ending May 30, compared to 985,294 claims the previous week. Although the 956,418 figure marked the lowest unemployment claims in Michigan since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the state’s unemployment rates were still the ninth highest in the nation.
Nationally, Friday’s jobs report unexpectedly showed the U.S. economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May as the unemployment rate declined to 13.3 percent.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifted Michigan’s stay-at-home order last week, moving the state to phase four of the MI Safe Start Plan. Retail stores were allowed to reopen on June 4 under the new phase, while bars and restaurants can open up on June 8. Groups of 100 or less are allowed to meet effective immediately.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Long Lines” by Gabriel White. CC BY-SA 2.0.
