County employment rises

October’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County was 1 percent higher than the previous month.

The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 4.7 percent October’s unemployment rate marked an increase from September’s 3.7 percent.

St. Joseph County was above the state’s unemployment average, which was 3.5 percent in October.

Employment rose, in part, because of a strike in the automobile sector. In addition, jobs in leisure and hospitality continued to decline in October.

Allegan County featured the lowest unemployment rate in the region in October, at 2.4 percent. St. Joseph County had the region’s highest unemployment rate for the month.

Cass County’s unemployment rate for the month was 3.7 percent.