The Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information says Michigan’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.9 percent in January 2022, its lowest level since reaching 3.8 percent in pre-pandemic March 2020. Berrien County, however, saw its jobless number increase as 2022 began. A seasonal drop-off in retail and hospitality jobs locally appeared to be the cause.
The state’s labor force was essentially unchanged with employment
rising by 19,000 while the number of unemployed shrank by 11,000.
Nonfarm payroll jobs grew for the ninth consecutive month but still need to
gain an additional 153,000 jobs to reach pre-pandemic levels.
The unemployment rate for the U.S. edged up by
a tenth of a percentage point over the month to
4.0 percent. Michigan’s January 2022 rate was
nearly a full percentage point above the national
rate. Over the past year, the U.S. jobless rate
declined by 2.4 percentage points; a faster rate
drop than in Michigan (-1.5 percentage points).
Michigan’s workforce was little changed in
January, edging up by 0.1 percent over the month.
The national labor force rose by 0.9 percent
over this period. Total employment in the state
increased by 0.4 percent between December
and January, which was about half the pace of
employment gain nationally. Michigan’s number of
unemployed receded by 4.5 percent in January.
NILES-BENTON HARBOR METRO AREA
• In January, the Niles-Benton Harbor MSA jobless rate rose by 0.9
percentage points to 5.2 percent. The jobless rate was well
below the January 2021 rate of 7.5 percent.
• Total employment in the region advanced by 3.5 percent over
the year as workers were recalled from pandemic-related
layoffs, driving down the area jobless rate.
MONTHLY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
• Niles-Benton Harbor metro area payroll jobs fell by 1,400 or
2.3 percent in January.
• Employment within the Leisure and hospitality sector
decreased by only 100 or 1.5 percent over the month, below
its typical January seasonal job decline (-400).
INDUSTRY TRENDS
• The Retail trade (-2.9 percent) and Education and health
services (-2.2 percent) sectors recorded typical seasonal job
reductions in January
KALAMAZOO-PORTAGE METRO AREA
• Joblessness in the Kalamazoo MSA increased by 0.7
percentage points over the month to 4.4 percent in January.
• The total number of unemployed residents rose seasonally
by 18.0 percent in January, but fell significantly over the
past year. The region had the third largest percent decline in
unemployed since January 2021 among Michigan major labor
market areas.
MONTHLY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
• In January, payroll employment in the Kalamazoo region
decreased by 2,400 or 1.6 percent over the month, to 144,700.
• Retail trade jobs fell seasonally in January (-300 or 1.9 percent),
as workers were laid off following the holiday shopping season.
Jobs in this industry were similar to the pre-pandemic January
2020 level.
INDUSTRY TRENDS
• Regional Transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-3.6
percent) jobs declined by typical seasonal amounts over the
month but rose sharply over the year.
GRAND RAPIDS-WYOMING METRO AREA
• In January, the unemployment rate in the Grand Rapids MSA
moved up by 0.5 percentage points to 3.7 percent.
• The Grand Rapids region registered the largest over the year
percentage decline in the number of unemployed residents
among all Michigan major labor market areas.
MONTHLY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
• Regional payroll jobs in the Grand Rapids metro area decreased
in January by 10,400 or 1.9 percent.
• Employment was relatively flat in the Furniture and related
product manufacturing sector this month and remained 13.0
percent lower than January 2020 levels.
INDUSTRY TRENDS
• The Trade, transportation, and utilities (-2,700) and Leisure
and hospitality (-1,200) sectors recorded typical seasonal job cuts
during January
