Unemployment up in all but one Michigan metro area since 2024, federal data shows

Washington—UnemploymentrateshaveworsenedinallbutoneofMichigan’smetropolitanareasoverthepastyear,accordingtonewfederaldata. TheDetroit-Warren-Dearbornmetroareaimprovedfromarateof4.9%lastJuneto4.5%inJune2025,themostrecentmonthwithnon-preliminarydataavailable.ButeachofMichigan’s14othermetroareassawratestickup,withtheworstresultsnearMuskegon,FlintandBayCity. “WithinMichigan,thehighestunemploymentratesareinFlintandSaginaw. Thatisn’tasurprise.FlintandSaginawhavestruggledfordecadeswiththedeclineofmanufacturing,”CharlesBallard,anemeritusprofessorofeconomicsatMichiganStateUniversity,saidinaTuesdayemail. “ThelowestratesareinAnnArborandTraverseCity,andthatisn’tasurpriseeither,”headded.ThetwoareasaremoreaffluentthantherestofMichigan. TheregionalnumbersintheBureauofLaborStatisticsdatareleasedlastweekareconsi