What's in the Regional Database 
Starting in September of 2001, significant changes have been made to the regional database. These modifications will make it easier to provide our users with the most up-to-date new and revised employment numbers in greater detail. Data are presented by county, except in the case of multi-county metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) which are grouped together. Selecting any of these counties from the pull-down menu will lead to the MSA summary. For example, selecting Calhoun, Kalamazoo, or Van Buren County will display the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek MSA summary.

Unemployment

Civilian labor force and unemployment information can still be found at the top of each table. Employment, unemployment and civilian labor force numbers are provided for the most recent month, followed by percent change from one month ago, one year ago, and five years ago. The actual unemployment rate for each of these periods is also provided.

Sector employment growth

The bulk of each table is now dedicated to providing a breakdown of employment in various sectors of the economy. Because disclosure regulations limit the data availability in smaller counties, the sector listings are now customized to allow the maximum possible detail in each area. The percent change from one month ago, one year ago, and five years ago is also provided. It should be warned, however, that this data could be misleading due to the rounding of employment levels, especially in sectors containing a lower level of employment. Also, the data are not seasonally adjusted, so changes from a month ago in sectors such as retail, construction, and education may be more reflective of seasonal factors than overall economic performance.

Other changes and where to find more data

Data on state unemployment are no longer provided on each area's table. Instead, detailed information on Michigan's economic performance can be found in the Michigan table. Population estimates are no longer found in the regional database. However, expanded comparisons of 1980, 1990, and 2000 population figures are now available on the Census 2000 section of our web site. Quarterly employment figures were eliminated due to the update lag time.

For questions or clarifications, contact watts@upjohninstitute.org.

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