Kalamazoo-Portage, Michigan Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Kalamazoo fell 0.2 percentage points in December 2011 to 7.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.5 percentage points lower than the Michigan rate. The unemployment rate in Kalamazoo peaked in January 2010 at 11.5% and is now 3.7 percentage points lower. You can also compare Kalamazoo 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
Kalamazoo	7.8%	-0.2	-1.9

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: Kalamazoo, Michigan, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Kalamazoo, Michigan Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Kalamazoo peaked in January 2010 at 19,315. There are now 6,481 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Kalamazoo employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Kalamazoo, Michigan) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Kalamazoo	12,834	-511	-3,476

Number of Unemployed Persons

Kalamazoo, Michigan Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Michigan Unemployment Rate	Kalamazoo Unemployment Rate	Kalamazoo Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	9.3%	7.8%	12,834
November 2011	8.7%	9.8%	8.0%	13,345
October 2011	8.9%	10.6%	8.6%	14,287
September 2011	9.0%	11.1%	8.8%	14,797
August 2011	9.1%	11.2%	8.9%	14,989
July 2011	9.1%	10.9%	8.7%	14,733
June 2011	9.1%	10.5%	8.7%	14,782
May 2011	9.0%	10.3%	8.7%	14,737
April 2011	9.0%	10.2%	8.9%	14,933
March 2011	8.9%	10.3%	9.0%	15,208
February 2011	9.0%	10.4%	9.2%	15,477
January 2011	9.1%	10.7%	9.5%	15,965