IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula jobless rate dipped to 4.5% in September, down from 5.3% in August but up from 4% a year ago, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.

The drop in the not seasonally adjusted rate came as the region’s civilian labor force grew by an estimated 1.2% over the month and 1.7% over the year. The labor force was pegged at 142,600 in September, up by 2,400 from a year ago. There were 6,400 workers unemployed in September, compared with 5,600 in September 2023.

“Michigan labor market areas demonstrated expected unemployment rate reductions during September,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. “Regional payroll jobs gains largely reflected seasonal hiring in education-related industries due to the start of the academic year.”

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed at 4.5% in September, which was 0.4 percentage points higher than the national rate of 4.1%. Over the year, the national jobless rate advanced by 0.3 percentage points while the statewide rate has increased by four-tenths of a percentage point since September 2023.

On a numerical basis the most significant over-the-year industry job gains in Michigan occurred in government, up by 19,000; construction, up by 13,000; and private education and health services, up by 9,000, Rourke said.

Delta County’s jobless rate was 5.1 percent. Unemployment in Schoolcraft County stood at 5.6 percent.

Seventy-seven of Michigan’s 83 counties showed unemployment rate reductions over the month with a median decrease of 0.6 percentage points.

Jobless rates were up over the year in 79 counties.

Mackinac County had the lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in September at 3.1%, followed by Marquette County, 4%, and Houghton and Menominee counties, both at 4.1%.

The highest jobless rate in the region was 6.2% in Ontonagon County, followed by Alger County, 5.8%, and Baraga County, 5.7%.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Florence County’s jobless rate in September was 2.9% while Marinette County’s rate was 3%.