Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Employment

2027-2028 Michigan Economic Outlook

Updated August 31, 2026

Detroit Employment Forecast

Detroit Employment Forecast

Detroit-Warren-Dearbor Employment (000s) 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028
Total Nonfarm 2,046.21 2,052.19 2,039.50 2,030.42 2,038.40 2,051.62
  1.6% 0.3% -0.6% -0.4% 0.4% 0.6%
Total Private 1,858.49 1,857.65 1,844.09 1,834.24 1,842.97 1,856.98
  1.5% 0.0% -0.7% -0.5% 0.5% 0.8%
Goods Producing 339.88 336.41 326.89 322.86 322.68 323.27
  1.5% -1.0% -2.8% -1.2% -0.1% 0.2%
Service-Providing 1,706.34 1,715.80 1,712.61 1,707.53 1,715.72 1,728.35
  1.6% 0.6% -0.2% -0.3% 0.5% 0.7%
Mining Logging and Construction 84.35 86.88 88.98 88.60 89.01 89.64
  3.6% 3.0% 2.4% -0.4% 0.5% 0.7%
Manufacturing 255.52 249.49 237.89 234.31 233.67 233.62
  0.8% -2.4% -4.7% -1.5% -0.3% 0.0%
Durable Goods 210.64 205.73 195.24 192.52 191.94 191.51
  1.0% -2.3% -5.1% -1.4% -0.3% -0.2%
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 118.44 114.37 107.17 105.62 105.66 105.95
  0.3% -3.4% -6.3% -1.5% 0.0% 0.3%
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing 38.91 38.14 34.56 34.41 34.36 34.44
  2.2% -2.0% -9.4% -0.4% -0.2% 0.2%
Other Transportation Equip. Mfg 79.53 76.23 72.61 71.20 71.30 71.51
  -0.7% -4.2% -4.7% -1.9% 0.1% 0.3%
Other Durable Goods 92.19 91.36 88.07 86.90 86.28 85.56
  1.9% -0.9% -3.6% -1.3% -0.7% -0.8%
Non-Durable Goods 44.89 43.77 42.64 41.79 41.73 42.11
  -0.2% -2.5% -2.6% -2.0% -0.2% 0.9%
Trade Transportation and Utilities 387.34 383.95 376.69 373.33 372.18 372.10
  0.7% -0.9% -1.9% -0.9% -0.3% 0.0%
Wholesale Trade 86.01 85.92 84.57 83.78 83.44 83.30
  2.6% -0.1% -1.6% -0.9% -0.4% -0.2%
Retail Trade 201.67 198.69 195.79 195.58 195.29 195.22
  -0.4% -1.5% -1.5% -0.1% -0.2% 0.0%
Transportation and Utilities 99.66 99.34 96.34 93.96 93.45 93.58
  1.4% -0.3% -3.0% -2.5% -0.5% 0.1%
Information 30.48 29.47 28.67 27.62 26.73 25.70
  2.5% -3.3% -2.7% -3.7% -3.2% -3.9%
Financial Activities 125.37 128.26 130.28 130.88 131.63 132.61
  -0.9% 2.3% 1.6% 0.5% 0.6% 0.7%
Professional and Business Services 392.69 381.06 372.61 369.57 370.28 371.18
  -1.5% -3.0% -2.2% -0.8% 0.2% 0.2%
Professional Scientific and Technical Services 209.63 206.31 201.08 200.11 201.95 203.33
  0.3% -1.6% -2.5% -0.5% 0.9% 0.7%
Management of Companies and Enterprises 51.54 48.48 46.31 44.87 44.40 44.27
  -4.2% -5.9% -4.5% -3.1% -1.0% -0.3%
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 131.54 126.26 125.22 124.62 123.93 123.58
  -3.1% -4.0% -0.8% -0.5% -0.6% -0.3%
Education and Health Services 319.09 330.33 339.64 341.91 346.55 352.79
  5.0% 3.5% 2.8% 0.7% 1.4% 1.8%
Education Services 31.52 31.96 31.65 30.48 30.85 31.61
  6.5% 1.4% -1.0% -3.7% 1.2% 2.5%
Health Care and Social Assistance 287.58 298.37 307.99 311.44 315.71 321.18
  4.8% 3.8% 3.2% 1.1% 1.4% 1.7%
Leisure and Hospitality 187.59 190.78 191.85 190.87 195.50 201.52
  4.9% 1.7% 0.6% -0.5% 2.4% 3.1%
Arts Entertainment and Recreation 26.26 27.69 28.63 29.04 29.54 30.51
  7.7% 5.4% 3.4% 1.4% 1.7% 3.3%
Accommodation and Food Services 161.34 163.06 163.21 161.89 165.96 171.01
  4.5% 1.1% 0.1% -0.8% 2.5% 3.0%
Other Services 76.03 77.43 77.43 77.04 77.42 77.82
  3.4% 1.8% 0.0% -0.5% 0.5% 0.5%
Government 187.73 194.53 195.41 196.12 195.43 194.64
  2.4% 3.6% 0.5% 0.4% -0.3% -0.4%
Federal Government 30.58 31.70 30.76 28.83 28.75 28.66
  3.7% 3.7% -3.0% -6.3% -0.3% -0.3%
State Government 23.16 23.64 23.74 23.92 23.87 23.86
  2.9% 2.1% 0.4% 0.7% -0.2% -0.1%
Local Government 133.99 139.18 140.90 143.33 142.81 142.12
  2.1% 3.9% 1.2% 1.7% -0.4% -0.5%
Employment Survey Statistics            
labor force 2,170,207 2,179,808 2,170,550 2,204,598 2,223,042 2,237,209
employment 2,092,082 2,081,099 2,062,812 2,088,692 2,112,676 2,128,879
unemployment 78,125 98,709 107,738 115,907 110,367 108,330
unemployment rate 3.6 4.5 5.0 5.3 5.0 4.8
Source: Center for Economic Analysis, Michigan State University