IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula’s not seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell to 4.4% in September, down from 5.8% in August and down 5% a year ago, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.

Release of the information was delayed by the federal government shutdown during October through mid-November. No employment report is expected for October while information for November is scheduled to be released early next year, MDTMB said.

“Michigan regional labor markets demonstrated typical unemployment rate declines during September,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. “Seasonal hiring for the start of the school semester contributed to regional payroll job gains over the month.”

The U.P. showed an estimated civilian labor force of 145,200 in September, up by 200 over the month and 1,000 over the year. The number of jobless stood at 6,500 in September, down by 1,900 over the month and 700 over the year.

Michigan’s not seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 4.6% was down from 5% in August and unchanged from September 2024.

The state’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate was pegged at 5.1% in September, which was 0.7 percentage points above the U.S. rate of 4.4%.

Payroll jobs statewide displayed minor gains in the third quarter, Rourke said.

Mackinac County had the lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in September at 3%, followed by Dickinson and Menominee counties at 3.9%.

Iron, Luce and Ontonagon counties had the highest U.P. jobless rates at 5.9%.

The September unemployment rate for the six-county Western U.P. was Houghton — 4.2%, Keweenaw — 4.3%, Gogebic — 5%, Baraga — 5.3%, Iron — 5.9% and Ontonagon– 5.9%

The U.P.’s rate in September was 4.4%, slightly lower than Michigan’s rate ofd 4.6%. The rates are not seasonally adjusted