University of Michigan economist says Michigan's job market is making a comeback

The state of Michigan seems to be making a comeback in the job market

While it may not be progressing at the same pace as Washtenaw County — which is on track to recoup all jobs lost in the recession by the end of the summer — things are looking up for the Great Lakes state.

At the state’s revenue estimating conference in Lansing, University of Michigan economist George Fulton, who prepares an annual economic forecast for Washtenaw County, said Michigan should see the return of 44 percent of lost jobs by the end of 2015, according to a story in the Detroit Free Press.

Fulton expects an addition of nearly 160,000 jobs in the state throughout the next three years, which he predicts will drop Michigan’s unemployment rate to 7.1 percent, according to the Free Press.

Similarly to Fulton’s assessment of Washtenaw County, the Free Press reported his colleague Joan Crary said at the conference that the housing sector is helping spur the recovery both nationally as well as in Michigan. Fulton also projects continued light vehicle sales growth and his models show the Detroit Big 3 increasing their market share as well.

• Read the full story from the Detroit Free Press.

Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Reach out to Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2