County unemployment down in August

August’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by two-tenths of a percent from July.

The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget was released last week. It showed St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate fell from 5.1 percent in July to 4.9 percent in August.

The rate was 6.6 percent 12 months earlier.

Meanwhile, Cass County experienced a drop in its unemployment figures from July to August. Its July rate was 4.8 percent and lowered to 4.3 percent a month later.

Also, Branch County’s one-month unemployment rate fell more than half a percent. It was 4.8 percent in July and dropped to 4.2 percent in August.

Michigan’s unemployment rate for August was 4.4 percent, down from 5 percent in July.