Local unemployment rate drops slightly

The unemployment rate in St. Joseph and Branch counties dropped slightly in October and was unchanged in Cass County according to the latest labor market analysis from the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth/Office of Labor Market Information.

The October unemployment rate in both St. Joseph County and Branch County was 13.4 percent, down from 13.9 percent in September, but considerably higher than the 9.2 percent rate recorded in both counties in October of 2008. Cass County’s jobless rate in October was 11.2 percent, unchanged from September, but up from 6.7 percent in October of last year.

Nine counties in Southwest Michigan recorded lower rates than the statewide rate of 14.3 percent in October – Barry, Kalamazoo, Cass, Calhoun, Van Buren, Allegan, Berrien, Branch and St. Joseph. The remaining three regional counties – Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale – registered higher jobless rates than the state.

Area counties continued to record seasonal job gains in the private and public education sectors. These gains were partially offset by seasonal employment declines in leisure and hospitality. Jobless rates edged down in October by an average of -0.4 percentage points.

Labor force rose over the month in almost all regional counties, with the exception of Branch (-25) an Allegan (-350) counties. Labor force increases ranged from +75 in Hillsdale County to +2,300 in Kalamazoo County. Over the year, labor force declined in all regional counties, ranging from -100 to – 3,025 in Kalamazoo County.

October employment by place of residence rose seasonally in almost all regional counties at an average of 1.4 percentage points, with the exception of Allegan County, where employment inched down by three tenths of a percentage point.

Job gains ranged from +125 in Branch and Hillsdale counties to +2,825 in Kalamazoo County. Seasonal job additions were recorded in the education sector, as schools returned to full-staffing after the initial September recalls of workers who were temporarily laid off over the summer. Professional and business services also added jobs in October, while employment in leisure and hospitality declined seasonally.

Over the year, employment fell sharply in all area counties, ranging from -1,025 in Branch to -8,125 in Kalamazoo County. The average rate of employment decline over the year in October was approximately 6.7 percent.