Unemployment

The closure of Siena Heights University may not cause a major shift in the county’s overall unemployment rate, which has stayed relatively stable in recent years (a 0.7% increase from 2019 to 2023) (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019-2023e). However, the loss of a long-standing educational institute may displace workers and reduce economic activity. Despite a slight rise in unemployment rates (see Figure 10), workshop participants expressed that residents are concerned about the local economy and their financial well-being. It is also concerning to see that the unemployment rates in Lenawee County and the state of Michigan are trending past the U.S. rates. The rising unemployment rates are possibly indicative of the difficulty of finding stable, long-term employment in both the state and county.