Unemployment stats released for May

May’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County was half a percent higher than the previous month.

The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 4.2 percent May unemployment rate marked an increase from April’s 3.7 percent.

St. Joseph County’s rate was slightly greater than the state unemployment average, which was 3.9 percent in May.

Allegan County featured the lowest unemployment rate in the region in May, at 2.8 percent.

Meanwhile, St. Joseph County had the region’s highest.

Cass County’s unemployment rate for the month was 4 percent.