There was a rise of 9.1 percent last May in terms of the jobless in Ann Arbor area. It was up 3% from last year, as reported by the state yesterday.

Last April, the unemployment rate went up as well. Total employment went down 1.5  percent between the months of April and May in the Ann Arbor area.

Mark Reffitt said, “Even Ann Arbor, which is the strongest economy in the state, is feeling the residual impact of the economy.” Mark Reffitt is the regional economic analyst with the state Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth.

The good thing is that even though that is the case with Ann Arbor, compared to the most areas of the state, Ann Arbor is one among those who has the lowest unemployment rate.

The jobs lost are those that support the local universities and those in the manufacturing industry as well as the professional and business sectors. These include the temporary jobs and auto jobs said Reffitt.

Economist George Fulton at the university of Michigan that employment is an indicator of economic health. He said that he expects that the employment rate will continue to rise until early next year even if the economy improves.

In Livingston County, the unemployment rate was 11.5 percent in May. Last May it was 6.3 percent and 10.7 percent in April. Wayne County’s jobless rate is 16 percent.

Even though Ann Arbor jobless rate has risen, it still has one of the lowest unemployment rate.

Find an Ann Arbor State/Provincial & Federal Government in the Directory of Ann Arbor, MI.