Department of Numbers

Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Michigan Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Detroit fell 0.7 percentage points in December 2011 to 10.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.2 percentage points higher than the Michigan rate. The unemployment rate in Detroit peaked in September 2009 at 15.9% and is now 5.4 percentage points lower. You can also compare Detroit unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate December 2011 Month/Month Year/Year
National 8.5% -0.2 -0.9
Michigan 9.3% -0.5 -1.8
Detroit 10.5% -0.7 -1.7
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Detroit, Michigan, National

Detroit, Michigan monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Detroit, Michigan Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Detroit peaked in September 2009 at 334,803. There are now 122,957 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Detroit employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Detroit, Michigan) is also available.

Unemployed Persons December 2011 Month/Month Year/Year
Detroit 211,846 -13,184 -37,313

Number of Unemployed Persons

Detroit, Michigan Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Michigan
Unemployment Rate
Detroit
Unemployment Rate
Detroit
Unemployed
January
2012
8.3%
December
2011
8.5% 9.3% 10.5% 211,846
November
2011
8.7% 9.8% 11.2% 225,030
October
2011
8.9% 10.6% 12.1% 244,934
September
2011
9.0% 11.1% 12.7% 257,258
August
2011
9.1% 11.2% 12.8% 258,773
July
2011
9.1% 10.9% 12.5% 250,414
June
2011
9.1% 10.5% 11.9% 239,560
May
2011
9.0% 10.3% 11.6% 235,468
April
2011
9.0% 10.2% 11.3% 228,113
March
2011
8.9% 10.3% 11.1% 224,111
February
2011
9.0% 10.4% 11.2% 226,720
January
2011
9.1% 10.7% 11.4% 233,203

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.