Michigan's Economic Reality in Pictures

Here’s a set of data in pictures that tells the story of the economy.

Our Economy at a Glance

Michigan has a two-tier labor market

Michigan provides very few middle class jobs

Jobs by education requirement and median wage of occupation

Workforce jobs fall into 22 major occupation categories. Of those, twelve are made up almost entirely of jobs that don’t require a B.A. The income differences between these two sets of occupation categories are dramatic.

50% of Michigan’s payroll jobs are in just five large occupational categories – and the majority of jovs in those categories don’t pay a middle class wage.

As the educational requirement of an occupation rises, the percentage of jobs that earn more than the national median rises.

Maps

Percent of households that cannot afford basic necessities

Percent of households that cannot afford basic necessities - UP

Percent of households that cannot afford basic necessities - Northwestern Michigan

As you can see, this is an all Michigan Challenge

ALICE rate — Upper Peninsula

AALICE rate — Northwest Michigan

Quick Facts

38% of Michigan households can't afford basic necessities

1.5 Million Michigan families struggle

Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit

Michigan’s per capita income — in a strong economy with an even stronger domestic auto industry — is 11 percent below the national average.

Since the turn of the century — no matter who was in control in Lansing and Washington — more and more Michigan households are struggling to make ends meet. Facing the cost of basic necessities rising faster than wages and benefits.

The EITC is pro work and an incentive to go back to work. Nearly six in ten Michigan jobs pay less than what is required to be middle class.