Department of Numbers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Michigan Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Detroit rose 0.2 percentage points in September 2020 to 9.8%. 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 May 2020 at 23.2% and is now 13.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 9.3% in July 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.5 percentage points. You can also compare Detroit unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
National 7.9% -0.5 +4.4
Michigan 8.6% -0.1 +4.7
Detroit 9.8% +0.2 +5.7
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2020 data as October 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 451,042. There are now 246,898 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 187,363 in July 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 16,781. Detroit employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Detroit, Michigan) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
Detroit 204,144 +4,805 +115,798

Number of Unemployed Persons

Detroit, Michigan Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Michigan
Unemployment Rate		 Detroit
Unemployment Rate		 Detroit
Unemployed
October
2020		 6.9% 5.5% — —
September
2020		 7.9% 8.6% 9.8% 204,144
August
2020		 8.4% 8.7% 9.6% 199,339
July
2020		 10.2% 8.7% 9.3% 187,363
June
2020		 11.1% 14.9% 17.9% 365,538
May
2020		 13.3% 21.3% 23.2% 451,042
April
2020		 14.7% 24.0% 21.5% 414,492
March
2020		 4.4% 4.3% 4.6% 99,147
February
2020		 3.5% 3.6% 3.9% 83,700
January
2020		 3.6% 3.8% 4.0% 85,946
December
2019		 3.5% 3.9% 4.0% 87,389
November
2019		 3.5% 3.9% 4.0% 86,976

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. ↩

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