Department of Numbers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Michigan Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Detroit rose 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than the Michigan rate. The unemployment rate in Detroit peaked in April 2020 at 23.4% and is now 19.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.5% in June 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Detroit unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Michigan 4.3% 0.0 -0.1
Detroit 3.8% +0.1 -0.7
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February 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 May 2020 at 511,303. There are now 431,544 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 72,772 in July 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 6,987. Detroit employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Detroit, Michigan) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Detroit 79,759 +1,705 -15,020

Number of Unemployed Persons

Detroit, Michigan Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Michigan
Unemployment Rate
Detroit
Unemployment Rate
Detroit
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 4.3% 3.8% 79,759
December
2022
3.5% 4.3% 3.7% 78,054
November
2022
3.6% 4.4% 3.7% 78,458
October
2022
3.7% 4.4% 3.7% 78,359
September
2022
3.5% 4.3% 3.7% 76,802
August
2022
3.7% 4.3% 3.5% 74,644
July
2022
3.5% 4.1% 3.5% 72,772
June
2022
3.6% 4.0% 3.5% 72,933
May
2022
3.6% 4.0% 3.6% 75,459
April
2022
3.6% 4.0% 3.8% 79,670
March
2022
3.6% 4.1% 4.0% 84,561

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.