Department of Numbers

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Michigan Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Grand Rapids fell 0.0 percentage points in March 2023 to 3.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points lower than the Michigan rate. The unemployment rate in Grand Rapids peaked in April 2020 at 20.5% and is now 17.0 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.4% in January 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Grand Rapids unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.5% -0.1 -0.1
Michigan 4.1% -0.2 0.0
Grand Rapids 3.5% 0.0 +0.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with March 2023 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Grand Rapids, Michigan, National

Grand Rapids, Michigan monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Grand Rapids, Michigan Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Grand Rapids peaked in April 2020 at 112,270. There are now 91,906 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 19,596 in January 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 768.

Unemployed Persons March 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Grand Rapids 20,364 -126 +436

Number of Unemployed Persons

Grand Rapids, Michigan Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Michigan
Unemployment Rate
Grand Rapids
Unemployment Rate
Grand Rapids
Unemployed
April
2023
3.4%
March
2023
3.5% 4.1% 3.5% 20,364
February
2023
3.6% 4.3% 3.5% 20,490
January
2023
3.4% 4.3% 3.5% 20,587
December
2022
3.5% 4.3% 3.6% 20,690
November
2022
3.6% 4.4% 3.6% 20,723
October
2022
3.7% 4.4% 3.6% 20,764
September
2022
3.5% 4.3% 3.6% 20,715
August
2022
3.7% 4.3% 3.5% 20,620
July
2022
3.5% 4.1% 3.5% 20,498
June
2022
3.6% 4.0% 3.5% 20,357
May
2022
3.6% 4.0% 3.5% 20,239

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.