COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County’s unemployment rate in February 2017 went down slightly from January, according to figures released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.
Branch County’s jobless rate was 5.2 percent after being at 5.3 percent in January.
The total labor force went up to 19,246, which was an increase of 131 members from January. There were 1,010 members of the labor force unemployed, which was about equal to the January figure.
In neighboring counties, Hillsdale County’s unemployment rate stayed at 5.4 percent, Calhoun County went up to 5.3 percent while St. Joseph County’s rate dropped to 4.1 percent.
There were only 14 other counties in Michigan that had a lower February unemployment rate than Branch County.
Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates in February increased in 12 of the state’s 17 major labor market areas while the total employment and labor force levels rose in the majority of regions over the month.
Michigan’s unemployment rate was up to 5.3 percent in February which is a half percent increase from last June. The national jobless figure in February went down to 4.7 percent.
