Michigan unemployment rate dips to 5 percent

LANSING (AP) - Michigan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to drop.

It dipped one-tenth of a percentage point to 5 percent in September. Michigan's 5.1 percent unemployment rate in August had been the lowest point in 14 years.

The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget said Wednesday that total employment in September rose by 10,000 while the number of unemployed dropped by 7,000. The state's workforce rose by 3,000 over the month.

The U.S. jobless rate remained at 5.1 percent. September marked the first time since August 2000 that Michigan's jobless rate was lower than the national rate.

State officials say the number of unemployed in Michigan has remained below 300,000 every month so far in 2015.

Published: Fri, Oct 16, 2015