Kent County, MI jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near meKent County economy
3.7%
unemployment, Sep 2026
3.9% the month before
332,968
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
658,844
people in Kent County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$80,390
median household income
Source: Census ACS
42%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Kent County ranks
Where Kent County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #8Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Great Lakes64 / 100 · of 52
- #13Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Midwest61 / 100 · of 68
- #19Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Great Lakes23% · of 100
- #20Best county job markets for job seekers in the Great Lakes60 / 100 · of 52
Kent County outlook: Steady
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 3.3% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 2.5% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 3.7%, down 0.2 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+4,083 jobs), construction (+2,467 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: manufacturing (−1,602 jobs), admin & staffing (−1,434 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Kent County. Each link goes to the publisher.
- Northpointe Bank announces 338 layoffs following agreement with CMG to sell mortgage origination channelsWZZM13 on MSN · Nov 5, 2026
Learn and get funded in Kent County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Kent County layoffs
5
Layoff notices, last 12 months
659
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
5
employers
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northpointe BankTakes effect Dec 31, 2026 | Clinton, Kent County | 338 | Permanent layoff | State record | |
| Notions MarketingTakes effect Jun 28, 2026 | Kent County | 181 | Mass layoff | State record | |
| SamaritasTakes effect Mar 31, 2026 | Kent County | 58 | Facility closure | State record | |
| Fluresh, LLCTakes effect Jan 28, 2026 | Kent County | 15 | Company closure | State record | |
| United Parcel ServiceTakes effect Jan 20, 2025 | Kent County | 67 | Layoff | State record |
Employers hiring most in Kent County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- Corewell Health33 open roles
- Acrisure25 open roles
- BDO USA21 open roles
- Disher19 open roles
- Creative Financial Staffing12 open roles
- UFP Industries12 open roles
- General Electric11 open roles
- Rockford University9 open roles
- Trane U.s.9 open roles
- Acron Aviation7 open roles
Colleges in Kent County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquinas College | Grand Rapids | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Calvin University | Grand Rapids | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Cornerstone University | Grand Rapids | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Davenport University | Grand Rapids | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Grace Christian University | Wyoming | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Calvin Theological Seminary | Grand Rapids | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
| Kuyper College | Grand Rapids | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Job fairs and business events in Kent County
Hiring events, career workshops and business events in and around Kent County.
- Business networkingNov 9, 2026 · Grand Rapids, MI
Monthly Luncheon – Behind the Magic at The Reif: A Special Chamber Luncheon On-Site!
Chamber: Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Conferences in Kent County
Industry conferences and trade shows held in Kent County. 1 with dates announced.
- ASPIRE: HFES International Annual Meeting
Sep 27 to Oct 1, 2027 · Grand Rapids, MI
Paid ticket. Not captured.
- Great Lakes Dental Summit
Dates not announced · Grand Rapids, MI
Paid ticket. Replaces the MDA Annual Session in 2027; registration opens January 2027; dates not yet posted.
- HCAM Annual Convention & Expo
Usually September (next dates not announced) · Grand Rapids, MI
Paid ticket. Prices not listed on the page; the 2026 edition was Sept 14-16.
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Kent County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in Michigan? How to file for unemployment in Michigan (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
- West Michigan Works! Workforce Development Board
Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, Ottawa
West Michigan Works! Grand Rapids Service Center
Grand Rapids · Comprehensive · 616-336-4460
Monday through Friday, 8am - 5pm
West Michigan Works! SE Service Center- Kent
Grand Rapids · Comprehensive · 616-336-4040
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
West Michigan Works! Service Center - Kent County
Rockford · Affiliate · 616-228-6724
Tues, Weds, Thurs. 8:am-12pm, 1pm-5pm
Cities in Kent County
Other Michigan counties
Laid off or looking for work in Kent County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from Michigan’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Michigan unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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