Michigan job, population numbers fall behind national trends

Michigan’s population and economy are growing at a pace slower than the national trends.

From January 2011 to January 2019, Michigan jobs increased 13.5% compared to the 14.7% national average.

From January 2019 to the start of the pandemic in Mach 2020, Michigan jobs increased just 0.2% compared to the 1.5% national average.

Michigan's prolonged lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role in the decline. Since the pandemic, jobs in the U.S. are up 3.3%, but down 0.3% in Michigan.

“Michigan’s economy is falling behind and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s plans to hand out more taxpayer money to select companies will do nothing to change the trend,” said James Hohman, the Mackinac Center’s director of budget policy.

Whitmer put together a population council to make recommendations on how to curb loss. Its recommendations came under fire from critics.

The Mackinac Center released a study in 2023 on how to grow Michigan. Lower taxes and right-to-work have been successful tools other states used to grow population and jobs.

Yet Whitmer fought to prevent a $700 million income tax cut, a matter the Mackinac Center is litigating. Instead of lowering taxes, Whitmer approved record corporate welfare and doled out over $1 billion in taxpayer money for lawmaker earmarks.