LANSING, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – For the third time in the past four months, Ottawa County has the lowest jobless rate in the state.
In numbers released on Thursday by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, November unemployment in the county stood at 2.2 percent. It is equaled by Washtenaw County, with Clinton and Kent County a tenth of a percent higher, and Allegan County alone in fifth at 2.4 percent. Ottawa County had the lowest level in October and August, and was second lowest in September.
A year ago, Ottawa County also had the smallest jobless rate at 2.4 percent, and Allegan County’s 2.7 percent was tied for fourth.
Overall, Michigan’s non-seasonally adjusted employment rates fell in 11 of the state’s 17 major labor markets, and Jason Palmer, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, said in a statement that this was expected. “Significant jobless rate reductions occurred in a few metro areas due to worker recalls associated with the end of the strike in the auto industry. Some other regions exhibited typical seasonal jobless rate increases over the month.”
The state’s unemployment rate of 3.4 percent in November was down a tenth of a percentage point from October, and two tenths from a year ago.
