LANSING – Unemployment in the Upper Peninsula dropped more than a percentage point in April. The Department of Technology, Management and Budget says the unemployment rate in the U.P. dropped from 10.3 percent in March to 9.1 percent in April. However, there are fewer people employed and fewer people in the labor force.

Total employment dropped 500 from March to April but is nearly 2-thousand greater than a year ago. And even though the labor force in the U.P.’s 15 counties shrank in April it is still slightly larger than a year ago.

Only the Detroit and U.P. labor markets saw employment decreases from March to April. Michigan’s other 15 regions saw employment gains.

At 7 percent, Dickinson County had the lowest unemployment rate in the Upper Peninsula in April. Mackinac County had the highest unemployment in the state with 17.8 percent.

Michigan’s unemployment rate in April was 7.3 percent.

Dickinson County 7 percent
Menominee County 7.1 percent
Marquette County 7.4 percent
Houghton County 8.5 percent
Delta County 8.7 percent
Iron County 9.3 percent
Gogebic County 9.6 percent
Luce County 10.4 percent
Alger County 11.2 percent
Chippewa County 11.5 percent
Schoolcraft County 12.5 percent
Baraga County 12.7 percent
Keweenaw County 13.2 percent
Ontonagon County 14.1 percent
Mackinac County 17.8 percent