KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO) -  The new unemployment numbers are out for October and they are down across the board in most Southwest Michigan Communities, dropping to 6.2% in Kalamazoo and dropping to 6.1% in the Battle Creek MSA, and 7.3% in Branch County.

The numbers show that joblessness has dropped below the state and national averages in most west Michigan Communities.

Upjohn Institute Labor Economist George Erickcek says in reality they aren’t as good as they sound.   He says the real reason the jobless figures are down is because the number of job seekers is way down, people are giving up and that’s why the numbers are lower.  There was no real increase in jobs.

He says the actual employment numbers continue to be flat and the economy just barely growing.