The Job Market in the Battleground of Battlegrounds: The Michigan Suburbs

Urban counties tend to vote for Democrats. Rural counties tend to vote for Republicans. Suburban counties are usually the battleground. What is the jobs picture in these three sets of counties in Michigan, particularly the suburbs, which are the battleground of this battleground state?  How well has Trump done compared to Obama, even before the pandemic? As it stands, it is no contest.

Job gains/loss per month (MI total)

• Obama 2^nd term: 7,306/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 3,105/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -3,653/month
• Michiganders unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 225,391
• Michiganders unemployed in August: 439,662

Job gains/loss per month (MI urban counties)

• Obama 2^nd term: 2,024/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 919/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -1,429/month
• Michiganders unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 56,310
• Michiganders unemployed in August: 129,775

Job gains/loss per month (MI suburban counties)

• Obama 2^nd term: 4,109/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 1,901/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -2,197/month
• Michiganders unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 96,067
• Michiganders unemployed in August: 194,162

Job gains/loss per month (MI rural counties)

• Obama 2^nd term: 1,173/month
• Trump 1^st term pre-pandemic: 284/month
• Trump 1^st term including pandemic: -26/month
• Michiganders unemployed at end of Obama Administration: 73,014
• Michiganders unemployed in August: 115,725