Michigan jobless rate improves slightly to 15.1 percent; jobs were added in October

Michigan jobless rate edges down to 15.1 percent

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan’s unemployment rate dipped slightly to 15.1 percent in October.

That’s down from 15.3 percent in September. But it likely will still be the highest rate in the nation, depending on other state reports expected over the next few days.

Michigan has had at least a share of the nation’s highest unemployment rate for nearly four years.

The national unemployment rate last month rose to 10.2 percent.

State officials said Wednesday that 39,000 nonfarm payroll jobs were added to the Michigan economy in October. But the state still has 263,000 fewer jobs than a year ago, when the jobless rate was 9.1 percent.