(LANSING) – Unemployment rates dropped from July to August around Southern Michigan.

Recent data from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget says St. Joseph County had a drop in their unemployment rate of 1.1 percent, from 5.3 to 4.2 percent.

Hillsdale County saw their unemployment rate drop from 4.8 to 4.2 percent, a decrease of six-tenths of a percent from July to August. Branch County went from 4.5 to an even 4 percent, which is a drop of one-half a percent. Cass County had a drop in unemployment from 4.8 percent to 4.5 percent, which is a decrease of three-tenths of a percent.

Overall, the State’s unemployment rate from 4.3 percent to an even 4 percent from July to August.

Wayne Rourke, Associate Director of the Bureau Of Labor Market Information And Strategic Initiatives says Michigan’s regions demonstrated typical seasonal jobless rate reductions for August. He says employment levels continued to display positive growth trends over the year.