Department of Numbers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Michigan Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Detroit fell 0.2 percentage points in May 2023 to 3.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points lower than the Michigan rate. The unemployment rate in Detroit peaked in April 2020 at 23.4% and is now 20.4 percentage points lower. You can also compare Detroit unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% +0.3 +0.1
Michigan 3.7% -0.1 -0.3
Detroit 3.0% -0.2 -0.6
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with May 2023 data as June 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 447,343 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Detroit employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Detroit, Michigan) is also available.

Unemployed Persons May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Detroit 63,960 -3,518 -11,499

Number of Unemployed Persons

Detroit, Michigan Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Michigan
Unemployment Rate
Detroit
Unemployment Rate
Detroit
Unemployed
June
2023
3.6%
May
2023
3.7% 3.7% 3.0% 63,960
April
2023
3.4% 3.8% 3.2% 67,478
March
2023
3.5% 4.1% 3.5% 74,039
February
2023
3.6% 4.3% 3.8% 79,341
January
2023
3.4% 4.3% 3.8% 79,756
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

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.