LANSING, MI (WTVB) – The unemployment rate in Branch County dropped for the sixth straight month in October according to data released on Tuesday by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.
The figures show the Branch County unemployment rate went down from seven percent in September to four-point-one percent in October.
Before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were felt on the state economy, Branch County’s jobless rate was at 3-point-4 percent in March. Branch County’s unemployment rate has been in a steady decline since it spiked at 23 percent in April.
Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates fell in all 17 of Michigan’s major labor market areas during October. Wayne Rourke, who is the associate director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, says “Regional jobless rates continued to decrease in October with modest recalls of workers from pandemic-related layoffs. However, industry jobs remain well below October 2019 levels.”
Neighboring counties also saw significant drops in their unemployment rates.
Hillsdale County went down from 6.8 percent to 4.1 percent. The Calhoun County rate fell from 8.6 percent to 5.3 percent while St. Joseph County’s rate went from 7.3 percent to 4.2 percent.
Wayne County had the worst unemployment rate in Michigan at eight-point-two percent.
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