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

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