Economic Forecast

Livingston County has been an engine of growth in Southeast Michigan over the past two decades, and we see no sign of that pattern changing over the next three years. From the turn of the century to just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Livingston County’s economy expanded at an impressive rate. The number of payroll jobs located within the county grew 31 percent from 2000 to 2019, while the county’s population blossomed by 21 percent, to over 192,000 people. Those rising tides helped fuel labor force growth of 18 percent, along with a 17 percent increase in the number of employed county residents.

In February 2020, the county’s unemployment rate stood at just 2.6 percent, among the lowest in the state. The success of Livingston County amid a challenging and turbulent period for Michigan is a testament to the desirability of living and working in Livingston County.