Michigan’s official monthly unemployment rate in July remained at 5.3%, which was unchanged from June.

The number of unemployed people in Michigan decreased slightly by 1,000, according to the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. But the labor force – people who are either working or looking for work – declined by about 5,000 people.

 These numbers are close enough that, on balance, they failed to move the unemployment rate.  

“The unemployment rate held steady because the labor force declined, and that’s not what we’d like to see,” said University of Michigan economist Gabriel Ehrlich. “The reason wasn’t because the count of employed Michigan residents increased or held steady, it actually fell. So, the number of Michigan residents who reported that they’re working actually dipped last month.”

Ehrlich said he does not see anything alarming in the data, but will continue to watch the workforce participation numbers.

Michigan Labor Market Information Director Wayne Rourke said Michigan is not seeing big month-to-month changes in its jobs numbers, which shows employment remains steady.

 “Since January, the unemployment rates have really stabilized and Michigan’s rate has hovered between 5.3% and 5.5%,” he said. “So, looking at the last six months or so, Michigan’s unemployment rate has really stabilized after the large growth of last year, and that’s a good sign.”

Michigan’s July unemployment rate was 1.1 percentage points higher than the national rate. It is also half a percentage point higher than it was at this time a year ago.