Kent County jobless rate eighth lowest in Michigan

Excerpts from the story:

Trucking, along with public utilities and retail and wholesale stores, generated the biggest payroll growth in the Grand Rapids region last year, adding 2,000 jobs.

The fastest-growing sector, by percentage, was leisure and hospitality, adding 1,700 jobs for a 5.6 percent increase. Manufacturing, long a stalwart of the regional economy, was flat year to year, unchanged at 74,100 jobs.

In a county-by-county breakdown, Ottawa had the lowest unemployment rate in West Michigan at 5.1 percent, fifth lowest in the state. Kent County came in eighth with 5.3 percent unemployment, followed by Allegan County with a 6.5 percent jobless rate, 22nd of 83 counties.