[magellan]

Even I thought I wouldn't see this happen for a while. 13 of Michigan's markets dropped below the national unemployment rate average of 7.8% in November. Ann Arbor was the lowest at 4.3%, and added 4100 jobs in the last year (Nov - Nov).

Others:

Flint: 7.8
Grand Rapids: 5.4
Holland-Grand Haven: 5.3
Kalamazoo: 6
Lansing - EL: 5.6
Saginaw: 7
Detroit-Warren-Livonia: 9.7

Grand Rapids market sees unemployment dip to 5.4 percent | 2013-01-04 | Grand Rapids Business Journal

Grand Rapids added 10,000 jobs over the last year, Holland 4000 (I predict will be the first market to reach its pre-recession level job numbers), Kalamazoo 4000, Lansing 1000.

[Retroit]

But one has to wonder how many people have:

1. Stopped looking,
2. Left the state, or
3. Have taken a low-paying job they are "over-qualified" for just out of desperation and/or discontinuity of unemployment benefits.

[belleislerunner]

Who cares about 1/2/3 - If they left the state- that means the unemployed people are all down in Georgia and the Carolinas =)

Awesome news for Michigan! Surprised Flint's is so much lower than Detroit...

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Retroit

But one has to wonder how many people have:

1. Stopped looking,
2. Left the state, or
3. Have taken a low-paying job they are "over-qualified" for just out of desperation and/or discontinuity of unemployment benefits.

That situation never goes away. It has always existed, and it always will exist. You have to look at figures relative to other figures (like how the rates now compare to rates 1 year ago, 2 years ago).

Also, if unemployment rates go down, and number of employed go up, that means more people have returned to work. It's good news, plain and simple. But some people refuse to accept it.

But in reference to your point about taking lower paying jobs, average incomes were also up across Michigan in the latest data, and are up over the year.

The downside is that it's too bad the Detroit metro area can't seem to gain a foothold and start growing again. It's dragging the overall state stats down.

[michigan83]

Originally Posted by Retroit

But one has to wonder how many people have:

1. Stopped looking,
2. Left the state, or
3. Have taken a low-paying job they are "over-qualified" for just out of desperation and/or discontinuity of unemployment benefits.

All states calculate unemployment in the same way, so every state has people who give up looking, move away, and are underemployed. We are improving relative to everyone, regardless of how you spin it.

[DONNIEANDDONNA417]

Originally Posted by belleislerunner

Who cares about 1/2/3 - If they left the state- that means the unemployed people are all down in Georgia and the Carolinas =)

Awesome news for Michigan! Surprised Flint's is so much lower than Detroit...

it is a lot of unemployed people down in georgia

[magellan]

Originally Posted by belleislerunner

Who cares about 1/2/3 - If they left the state- that means the unemployed people are all down in Georgia and the Carolinas =)

Awesome news for Michigan! Surprised Flint's is so much lower than Detroit...

You might not be too far off. Atlanta's unemployment rate is over 8%, with over 250,000 people unemployed.

[jkels]

How about those who ran our of benefits? Thanks for the uplifter anywho! I hope we're on the up and up!

[actinic]

What about payrolls?

[actinic]

One thing that makes the ranking a bit more impressive for Grand Rapids is that most of places with lower unemployment are smaller metro college towns with a disproportionately higher # of college jobs to overall workforce. I see that changing one of these days as more community colleges start offering 4 year degrees. The legislation passed in MI but the university fat cats blocked the scope of classes cc's can offer. That's for another topic.