Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Michigan Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Detroit fell 0.1 percentage points in February 2019 to 4.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.0 percentage points lower than the Michigan rate. The unemployment rate in Detroit peaked in June 2009 at 16.4% and is now 12.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.7% in July 2017, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Detroit unemployment with unemployment in other cities.
| Unemployment Rate | February 2019 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 3.8% | -0.2 | -0.3 |
| Michigan | 4.0% | 0.0 | -0.4 |
| Detroit | 4.0% | -0.1 | 0.0 |
Unemployment Rate: Detroit, Michigan, National
Note: Recessions shown in gray.
Detroit, Michigan Unemployed
The number of people unemployed in Detroit peaked in June 2009 at 349,851. There are now 263,327 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 78,066 in July 2017, the number of unemployed has now grown by 8,458. Detroit employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Detroit, Michigan) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | February 2019 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 86,524 | -396 | +1,542 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Detroit, Michigan Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
Michigan Unemployment Rate |
Detroit Unemployment Rate |
Detroit Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2019 |
3.6% | — | — | — |
| March 2019 |
3.8% | 4.0% | — | — |
| February 2019 |
3.8% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 86,524 |
| January 2019 |
4.0% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 86,920 |
| December 2018 |
3.9% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 85,886 |
| November 2018 |
3.7% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 85,924 |
| October 2018 |
3.8% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 86,011 |
| September 2018 |
3.7% | 3.9% | 4.0% | 86,102 |
| August 2018 |
3.8% | 3.9% | 4.0% | 86,191 |
| July 2018 |
3.9% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 86,172 |
| June 2018 |
4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 86,004 |
| May 2018 |
3.8% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 85,894 |
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. ↩

