Historical data
Pick an indicator to see its long-run evolution.
Unemployment rate
1976–2024BLS state series; peaks in 1982 and 2009 auto downturns.
Employment
People at work.
Total nonfarm payroll jobs
1990–2025BLS Current Employment Statistics, annual average (FRED MINA).
| Indicator | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Employment (M) | 4.65 | 161.3 |
- •Michigan employs roughly 20% of all U.S. motor vehicle manufacturing workers.
Unemployment
Joblessness.
Unemployment rate
1976–2024BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average of seasonally adjusted months (FRED MIUR).
| Indicator | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (%) | 4.4 | 4.1 |
- •Michigan's 2009 unemployment rate of 13.7% was the highest of any state in that recession.
Labor Force
Size of the working population.
Civilian labor force
1976–2024BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average (FRED MILF).
| Indicator | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Labor force (M) | 4.87 | 168.3 |
- •Michigan's labor force is still smaller than it was in 2000.
Occupations
Largest job categories.
Workers in management, business, science and arts occupations
2008–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, civilian employed 16+, C24010 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing share of jobs (%) | 13.7 | 8.0 |
- •Michigan has the highest concentration of industrial and mechanical engineers of any state.
Salaries
Pay levels.
Average weekly earnings, private sector
2007–2025BLS Current Employment Statistics, annual average (FRED SMU26000000500000011).
Average hourly earnings, private sector
2007–2025BLS Current Employment Statistics, annual average (FRED SMU26000000500000003).
| Indicator | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage (USD) | 48700 | 48060 |
- •UAW contracts signed in late 2023 raised top assembly wages above $40 an hour by 2028.
Remote Work
Working from home.
Workers who work from home
2006–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, share of workers 16+, B08301 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Remote work share (%) | 16 | 18 |
- •Remote work is concentrated in Oakland and Washtenaw counties, where white-collar employment is densest.
Workforce Participation
Share of adults in the labor force.
Labor force participation rate
1976–2024BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average (FRED LBSSA26).
| Indicator | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Labor force participation (%) | 60.0 | 62.6 |
- •Michigan's participation rate is held down by one of the older median ages among large states.