June unemployment down, still high

June’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County was significantly lower than the previous month, but still higher than usual due to jobs impacted by COVID-19.

The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, which showed the county’s drop in unemployment, was released last week.

St. Joseph County’s 13 percent unemployment rate for June was down from 19.5 percent in May.

Allegan County featured the lowest unemployment rate in the region in June, at 11.3 percent. At 15.2 percent, Calhoun County had the highest unemployment rate in the region for the month.

Cass County’s unemployment rate for June was 13 percent while Branch County’s figure was 12.2 percent.

The state average unemployment rate in June was 14.9 percent, down from 20.8 percent in May.