Kent County recognized as a top county for manufacturing

Using data compiled by U.S. Census Bureau, Michigan's 83 counties have been ranked by highest number of manufacturing jobs. This ranking used the average number of residents employed in manufacturing from 2012-2016.

Out of the 83 counties in Michigan, Kent County ranked No. 4 with the average number of manufacturing jobs totaling 58,285. The county trailed behind Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, but outranked areas such as Ottawa, Genesee, and Kalamazoo.

Not only is Kent County doing well in manufacturing, but the state of Michigan as a whole is also. Michigan remains the No. 1 state for auto manufacturing, according to June 2017 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Additionally, Michigan ranks No. 4 for total manufacturing jobs, trailing California, Ohio, and Texas.

In total, about 18% of Michigan's workforce is employed in the manufacturing industry, making it the largest employment sector for Michigan.

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