Workforce
Pay Rates of Underemployed Workers in the Kalamazoo Region
Hourly Pay Rate Number of available underemployed workers Hourly Pay Rate Number of available underemployed workers
$7.99 or Less 400 $17.00 - $17.99 2,100
$8.00 - $8.99 1,300 $18.00 - $18.99 400
$9.00 - $9.99 2,900 $19.00 - $19.99 2,100
$10.00 - $10.99 5,900 $20.00 - $20.99 800
$11.00 - $11.99 2,100 $21.00 - $21.99 1,700
$12.00 - $12.99 2,900 $22.00 - $22.99 1,200
$13.00 - $13.99 2,100 $23.00 - $23.99 100
$14.00 - $14.99 1,700 $24.00 - $24.99 1,300
$15.00 - $15.99 2,100 $25.00 - $25.99 800
$16.00 - $16.99 1,200 $26.00 or More 800

 

 

Available Workers
Number of underemployed workers 33,900
Number of unemployed persons who are actively seeking work 22,900
Number of persons who are not working, but would consider re-entering the workforce 5,200
Total Number of Workers Available for Employers 62,000

 

Employment Skills of Underemployed Workers
Skills Number of Persons Percentage
Manufacturing/Assembly/Fabrication 21,400 63%
Office Operations 19,700 58%
Warehouse/Distribution/Transportation 16,600 49%
Customer Service 16,600 49%
Sales 12,900 38%
Maintenance/Installation Repair 9,500 28%
Medical/Health Sciences 7,100 21%
Electronics/Engineering 6,400 19%
Information Technology 5,400 16%
Telecommunications 5,100 15%
Call Center 3,700 11%

 

Underemployed workers are defined as individuals working below their skill and/or education levels. To download the entire Labor Availability Report, click here.
Source: The Pathfinders 2007
Unemployment Rates
July 2008
AREA LABOR FORCE EMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED RATE
Allegan County, MI 57,015 52,489 4,526 7.9
Barry County, MI 31,248 29,039 2,209 7.1
Branch County, MI 22,525 20,306 2,219 9.9
Calhoun County, MI 69,650 63,501 6,149 8.8
Cass County, MI 27,268 25,352 1,916 7.0
Kalamazoo County, MI 134,947 124,627 10,320 7.6
St. Joseph County, MI 32,725 28,861 3,864 11.8
Van Buren County, MI 41,165 37,765 3,400 8.3
Region 416,543 381,940 34,603 8.3
Michigan 5,045,000 4,585,000 461,000 9.1

 

Source: Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth
Commuters Into Kalamazoo County from Surrounding Counties
Allegan County 4,020 Calhoun County 3,755
Barry County 2,413 Cass County 527
Berrien County 466 St. Joseph County 2,310
Branch County 192 Van Buren County 9,205
Source: United States Census Bureau, March 6, 2003