TALENT REPORT 2026
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 02
The Talent Landscape in Greater Grand Rapids
03
The Labor Market Rebalanced
04
Employment Trends
05
Greater Grand Rapids’ Competitive Edge
07
Demographic Shifts
07
24-to-35-Year-Old Workers
08
Diverse Populations
09
Employer Adaptability
10
Wages
11
Employee Retention
12
AI and the New Era of Work
14
The Right Place: Talent Services
16
Data Appendix
17
Authors Page
18
01
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The talent landscape has changed in recent years, and Greater Grand Rapids is entering this new landscape from a position of demographic strength. At a time when communities across the country are contending with aging populations and declining birth rates, Greater Grand Rapids’ talent base is younger, more diverse, and increasingly well educated. Having added 2,000 new jobs in 2025, the region is a hub for 25-to-34-year-old workers, the concentration of which outpaces state and national figures, and ranks fifth among 16 peer metros outside Michigan.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
25-to-34-Year-Old Share of the Population in 2025:
Jobs Added in GGR in 2025 2,000
See Page 8
14.4% 13.2% 13.7% 13.9%
Greater Grand Rapids
Michigan United States Peer Metro Median
See Page 5
37% Share of People with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher in GGR: AN INCREASE OF EIGHT PERCENTAGE POINTS FROM 2015 TO 2025
Unique Job Postings Referencing AI-Related Skills in GGR:
See Page 9 69% Total Population Growth Driven by Diverse Populations in GGR from 2005 to 2025:
IN 2024 436 IN 2022 282
IN 2025 835 IN 2023 314
See Page 13
See Page 14
THE TALENT LANDSCAPE
THE TALENT LANDSCAPE IN GREATER GRAND RAPIDS (GGR) 1,183,645 621,936 4.3% $33.18 POPULATION IN 2025 ¹ LABOR FORCE IN DECEMBER 2025 ² UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN JANUARY 2026 ³ AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE IN JANUARY 2026 ⁴
Notes on the Data: This report uses the Grand Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area (including Kent, Ottawa, Montcalm, Ionia, and Barry counties) as its primary geography unless otherwise noted. The Right Place’s retention call data encompasses seven counties (Kent, Ionia, Montcalm, Newaygo, Lake, Oceana, and Mason counties). October 2025 data is missing in some cases due to a federal government shutdown during that time. For annual data missing October numbers, this report calculates averages over an 11-month period. The methodology to analyze job posting data for AI references has shifted to account for the substantial increase in companies including AI-processing disclaimers in job postings. The new methodology relies on a bucket of AI-related skills instead of the keywords “artificial intelligence” and “AI.” The content of this report reflects the most recent data at time of publication.
1 - Source: U.S. Census Bureau (Population Estimates Program) 2 - Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, (Civilian Labor Force, Smoothed Seasonally Adjusted) 3 - Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Unemployment Rate, Smoothed Seasonally Adjusted) 4 - Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Average Hourly Earnings, Not Seasonally Adjusted)
03
THE LABOR MARKET
THE LABOR MARKET REBALANCED The national labor market has shifted from one defined by twice as many job openings as people to fill them at its peak, to a labor market with more unemployed people than openings in recent months. In Michigan, this shift is even starker, having flipped to more unemployment than openings in mid-2024. This shift underscores a new talent landscape, one that is different from much of the past decade. While the labor force continues to grow, workers are competing for fewer available job openings than previous years. Meanwhile, many employers have tightened hiring to hedge against economic uncertainty. Job Openings vs. Unemployment
When the lines in this chart rise above 1 , there are there are more job openings than unemployed people.
BALANCE
When the lines in this chart dip below 1 , there are more unemployed people than job openings.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (Unemployment Seasonally Adjusted and Job Openings Total Nonfarm Seasonally Adjusted)
04
EMPLOYMENT TRENDS
Regionally, Greater Grand Rapids continued to add jobs through 2025, with total employment reaching 607,800 in the fourth quarter. The most recent job figures represent a 0.7% increase from Q4 2024 and a 2.7% increase since Q4 2022, when the regional job market had largely regained its pre-pandemic footing. Regional job growth, while modest, signals sustained performance in a year when job markets softened across the country. This is particularly evident in the back half of 2025, when job growth in Greater Grand Rapids outperformed that of the state and the country. Likewise, year-over-year hiring remained stable in 2024 and 2025 in Greater Grand Rapids at the same time the nation saw substantial pullback in annual job growth.
Across the board, the unemployment rate generally increased since 2023, reaching 4.3% in Greater Grand Rapids in January 2026. Annual average unemployment rate in the region has also increased steadily, rising from 3.4% in 2023 to 4.6% in 2025. On an annual basis, the region outperforms the state but underperforms against national figures (4.3%). During the last two months of 2025, the Greater Grand Rapids’ unemployment rate tracked identically to national figures.
Unemployment Rate
Jobs Added From the Previous Year:
IN 2023 16,400
IN 2024 1,600 IN 2025 2,000
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (Smoothed Seasonally Adjusted)
IN 2023 90,900 IN 2024 27,600 IN 2025 39,900
Average Unemployment Rate
IN 2023 3,346,100 IN 2024 1,798,600
IN 2025 745,100
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (Smoothed Seasonally Adjusted)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (Total Nonfarm, Seasonally Adjusted)
EMPLOYMENT TRENDS
Hiring Trends in GGR
WE ASKED EMPLOYERS IN OUR REGION:
Source: The Right Place Retention Call Data
Do you have business expansion plans?
Job Growth (Quarter over Quarter)
What are your pinch points?
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (Total Nonfarm, Seasonally Adjusted)
Despite the changes to the labor market, employers remain optimistic. Companies across Greater Grand Rapids plan to continue adding workers and expanding, though at a slower rate than previous years, according to data from The Right Place. Likewise, the share of companies forecasting stable employment in 2025 remained largely unchanged from the previous year.
Are you experiencing recruitment issues?
06
Source: The Right Place Retention Call Data
DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS
GREATER GRAND RAPIDS’ COMPETITIVE EDGE Across the country, communities and companies alike are experiencing widespread demographic shifts. Greater Grand Rapids is becoming increasingly diverse, and the region is uniquely positioned to benefit from these shifting demographics.
INCREASING: 60 AND OLDER SHARE OF TOTAL POPULATION
IN 2025 23.2% IN 2005 14.5%
IN 2025 26.7% IN 2005 16.9%
IN 2025 24.6% IN 2005 16.8%
DECREASING: 19 AND YOUNGER SHARE OF TOTAL POPULATION
IN 2025 25%
IN 2025 23.1% IN 2005 27.8%
IN 2025 23.9% IN 2005 27.8%
IN 2005 29.7%
INCREASING: DIVERSE POPULATION SHARE OF TOTAL POPULATION
IN 2025 23.3% IN 2005 16.7%
IN 2025 27.2% IN 2005 22.1%
IN 2025 42.9% IN 2005 33.0%
Source: Lightcast
07
25-TO-34-YEAR-OLD WORKERS
As populations across the nation fluctuate, regions that successfully attract young workers will be better positioned for economic success. The concentration of 25-to-34-year-old workers in Greater Grand Rapids not only outpaces Michigan and the United States but outperforms the majority of its peers. 25-to-34-year-old workers account for substantial shares of industries across the board in Greater Grand Rapids. The concentration of this age group increased in macro-industry clusters including information, professional, scientific, and technical services, and construction.
14.4% 13.2% 13.7% 13.9%
Greater Grand Rapids
25-to-34-Year-Old Share of the Population in 2025:
Michigan United States Peer Metro Median
Greater Grand Rapids ranks 5th out of 16 peer metros. *See appendix for a list of peer metro areas used in this report
Greater Grand Rapids outpaces state and national figures for the concentration of 25-to-34-year-old workers in key industries, including manufacturing and healthcare.
Share of 25-to-34-Year- Old Workers by Industry in GGR in 2025
Source: Lightcast
YOUNG WORKERS & DIVERSE POPULATIONS
In 2025, Greater Grand Rapids had a higher concentration of young workers (19 to 24 years old) than both Michigan and the United States in the following industries:
• Administrative and Support and Waste Management and • Construction • Health Care and Social Assistance Remediation Services
• Information • Management of Companies and Enterprises • Manufacturing • Mining • Quarrying
• Oil and Gas Extraction • Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services • Transportation and
Warehousing, and Wholesale Trade
The concentration of diverse populations in Greater Grand Rapids lags state and national figures but grew faster (39.3%) from 2005 to 2025 compared to Michigan (23.2%) and the U.S. (29.9%). 69% OF TOTAL POPULATION GROWTH DRIVEN BY DIVERSE POPULATIONS IN GREATER GRAND RAPIDS FROM 2005 TO 2025.
Diverse Population Distribution in GGR
42% INCREASE
21% INCREASE
66% INCREASE
Source: Lightcast
Share of Population Growth Driven by Diverse Populations
Since 2015, diverse populations have driven more than half of Greater Grand Rapids' population growth. From 2021 to 2022, when non-diverse populations declined, diverse populations accounted for all regional growth.
09
Source: Lightcast
EMPLOYER ADAPTABILITY
EMPLOYER ADAPTABILITY
Current workforce trends are converging to reshape the employer-employee relationship. Workers are asking more of their employers in terms of wages, work-life balance, and burnout prevention, with 72% of human resource professionals agreeing that expectations are higher today than in the past. Remaining nimble and willing to navigate these changes will be essential for companies to thrive in coming years.
Top Workplace Needs Identified by Workers, HR Professionals, and HR Executives
WORKERS
HR EXECUTIVES
HR PROFESSIONALS
24%
Managers’ and Supervisors’ Ability to Effectively Lead Their Direct Reports
Employee Salary or Wages
25%
Managers’ and Supervisors’ Ability to Effectively Lead Their Direct Reports
25%
15%
Employee Stress or Burnout Levels
Employee Stress or Burnout Levels
19%
Employee Stress or Burnout Levels
19%
14%
Employee Salary or Wages
Employee Work-Life Integration
18%
Employee Salary or Wages
18%
12%
Trust Between Workers and Executive Leadership at Your Organization
Employee Mental Health
15%
The Quality of Feedback Employees Receive to Improve Their Work Performance Your Organization’s Readiness for the Future of Work (e.g., automation, AI, etc.)
13%
11%
Employee Engagement
Fairness of Pay at your Organization
13%
13%
10
Source: 2026 SHRM State of the Workplace, based on responses from 2,079 U.S.-based workers and 1,856 HR professionals, including 352 HR executives.
WAGES
Salary and wages constitute a major focus for workers, human resource departments, and executives alike. Hourly wages in Greater Grand Rapids grew 2.8% from 2024 to 2025 compared to 3.0% and 4.0% for Michigan and the U.S., respectively. Average wage growth across the country outpaced that of the region. In 2015, there was a $1.73/hour difference between regional and national average wages. In 2025, that difference increased to $4.30/hour.
4.0% UNITED STATES YEAR-OVER-YEAR RATE OF HOURLY WAGE GROWTH FROM 2024 TO 2025
2.8% GREATER GRAND RAPIDS YEAR-OVER-YEAR RATE OF HOURLY WAGE GROWTH FROM 2024 TO 2025
3.0% MICHIGAN YEAR-OVER-YEAR RATE OF HOURLY WAGE GROWTH FROM 2024 TO 2025
Trends in Average Hourly Wage Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Total Private, Not Seasonally Adjusted
11
EMPLOYEE RETENTION
Trends in Training Investments in GGR As labor dynamics change and the available pipeline of workers shrinks (see page 9), the value of human capacity and expertise becomes even more impactful. In turn, organizations face an even greater imperative to retain and retrain the workers on their payrolls.
Source: The Right Place Retention Call Data
Training investments across the region remain strong, with many organizations choosing to keep training budgets stable amid global economic pressures. The share of those companies planning to increase training budgets fell from 39% in 2024 to 33% in 2025, according to retention call data from The Right Place.
the job satisfaction of those who didn’t. 2X
People who rated their employer as “effective” or “very effective” at addressing workplace needs reported
Of people who believe their employers are ineffective at addressing workplace needs likely” to leave. 24% Of people who believe their employers are effective or very effective at addressing workplace needs feel satisfied at their jobs and engaged at work. 91% reported they were “likely” or “very
12
Source: 2026 SHRM State of the Workplace
EMPLOYEE RETENTION
After several years of consecutive decline, undergraduate enrollment in Greater Grand Rapids increased 27% (1,273 students) from 2022 to 2024. Enrollment declines generally track fluctuations in population. Nationally, undergraduate enrollment declined 5.3% from 2015 to 2024. Likewise, high school enrollment across the region declined in line with national youth population trends. In 2016, area high schools enrolled 55,969 students. By 2025, that number shrank 5% to 53,234. Nationally, the trend is reversed with high school enrollment increasing 2% during the same timeframe. Though, national enrollment has steadily declined since 2021. The population continues to be better educated. The share of people with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased 8 percentage points to 37% from 2015 to 2025.
University Undergraduate Enrollment in GGR
Source: IPEDS 2024 represents the most recent data available. See appendix for a full list of colleges/universities.
Non-Private High School Enrollment in GGR
Source: MISchooldata.org; See appendix for a list of the intermediate school districts included in the data.
Educational Attainment in GGR
37% SHARE OF PEOPLE WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER IN GGR: AN INCREASE OF EIGHT PERCENTAGE POINTS FROM 2015 TO 2025
13
Source: Lightcast
AI & THE NEW ERA OF WORK
AI AND THE NEW ERA OF WORK At the same time that the labor market is rebalancing, the nature of work is changing at an unprecedented pace. The
Unique AI Postings by Industry in GGR
proliferation of AI technologies has reshaped how people work, train, and hire. Job postings referencing AI-related skills in Greater Grand Rapids more than doubled since 2022. Likewise, wages for AI-related positions increased 24% since 2022 and 27% from the previous year – a 66% premium above the region’s median hourly wage of $33.18. Industries across the board are increasingly integrating AI into their workflows to drive efficiency and productivity, and, in turn, companies are increasingly seeking these skills in new employees. In Greater Grand Rapids, public accounting firms, insurance agencies, and manufacturing companies were most likely to require AI-related skills when hiring in 2025.
Source: Lightcast (see appendix for more details)
Unique Job Postings Referencing AI-Related Skills
Median Hourly Wage for AI-Related Positions IN 2025 $55.08 IN 2024 $43.26 IN 2023 $40.55 IN 2022 $44.25
IN 2025 835 IN 2024 436 IN 2023 314 IN 2022 282
60%
WORKERS WHO REGULARLY USE AI IN THEIR ROLES
EXECUTIVES WHO REGULARLY USE AI TO SUPPORT DECISION MAKING
AND
Source: Lightcast (see appendix for more details)
Source: Deloitte, 2026 Global Human Capital Trends
AI & THE NEW ERA OF WORK
While AI-related job postings have sharply increased in recent years, they command a relatively small percent of overall postings.
0.5% OF UNIQUE JOB POSTINGS REQUIRED AI SKILLS IN 2022
1.2% OF UNIQUE JOB POSTINGS REQUIRED AI SKILLS IN 2025
As more people use AI day-to-day, leaders are recognizing a gap between the technology’s capabilities and effective strategies to implement it. According to Deloitte’s 2026 Global Human Capital Trends report, 66% of leaders acknowledge the importance of designing effective human-machine (AI, robotics, etc.) interactions. However, only 6% of leaders believe their organizations are making great progress toward these goals.
Organizations with intentionally designed AI-human interactions report:
Source: Deloitte, 2026 Global Human Capital Trends 2.5X IMPROVED FINANCIAL RESULTS
2X
MORE LIKELY TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL WORK
Top Ten Skills for AI-Related Job Postings
Source: Lightcast (see appendix for more details)
15
THE RIGHT PLACE: TALENT SERVICES
THE RIGHT PLACE: TALENT SERVICES
The Talent Team at The Right Place works to ensure Greater Grand Rapids is a place people choose — and stay. They work across the region with employers, schools, universities, and workforce organizations, with their focus split between growing local talent, bringing in new residents, and helping businesses find the resources they need to keep growing.
Hello West Michigan, a program focused exclusively on talent attraction, actively promotes Greater Grand Rapids as a place where businesses thrive and people want to live and work. Their efforts help connect talent from outside the region to member companies throughout the area and support new residents as they find their fit in Greater Grand Rapids. → LEARN MORE
Candid Conversations is an engaging event series that features some of the region’s top community leaders as they explore challenges and opportunities in people- and talent-focused spaces. Each unique session is a fireside-chat led by TaRita Johnson, PhD, Senior Vice President of Talent and Diversity. → LEARN MORE
West Michigan Intern Connect is the largest intern conference in Michigan, built to give interns and young professionals the tools, relationships, and know-how to get truly connected to West Michigan. The conference is an opportunity for employers to invest in retaining the talent they are working so hard to recruit. → LEARN MORE
The Radical Hospitality: Grand Rapids Ambassador Program is a community-driven program designed to support newcomers and residents who are still finding their place in Greater Grand Rapids. The program is driven by participating companies with support from The Right Place and serves people who have relocated to the area, as well as long-time residents. → LEARN MORE
DATA APPENDIX
DATA APPENDIX Peer Metros:
• Indianapolis, IN • Jacksonville, FL • Knoxville, TN • Louisville, KY • Milwaukee, WI • Oklahoma City, OK • Raleigh, NC • Salt Lake City, UT
• Birmingham, AL • Chattanooga, TN • Colorado Springs, CO
• Columbus, OH • Des Moines, IA • Greensboro, NC • Greenville, SC
AI Job Postings Skills: Based on Stanford HAI methodology, using Lightcast’s AI-related skills excluding “Artificial Intelligence” to weed out vague mentions. The methodology to analyze job posting data for AI references has shifted to account for the substantial increase in companies including AI-processing disclaimers in job postings. The new methodology relies on a bucket of AI-related skills instead of the keywords “artificial intelligence” and “AI.”
Undergraduate enrollment data includes data from the following universities: • Aquinas College • Calvin College
• Cornerstone University • Davenport University • Ferris State - Kendall College of Art and Design • Grace Bible College • Grand Rapids Community College • Grand Valley State University
• Hope College • Kuyper College • Montcalm Community College
High school enrollment data includes data from public high schools and charter high schools in the following intermediate school districts: • Barry ISD • Ionia County ISD • Kent ISD • Montcalm Area ISD • Ottawa Area ISD
17
AUTHORS PAGE
AUTHORS PAGE
TALENT REPORT AUTHORS
TARITA D. JOHNSON, PHD SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TALENT & DIVERSITY
JOHN WIEGAND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE & RESEARCH MANAGER
MATTHEW STREETER BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE & AI ANALYST
EMMA TUTHILL DIGITAL MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
TALENT REPORT CONTRIBUTORS
RANDY THELEN PRESIDENT & CEO
BRAD COMMENT SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
KAREN GEORGE PROGRAM MANAGER, HELLO WEST MICHIGAN
A'MYA SAFFORE TALENT PROGRAM MANAGER
18
25 Ottawa Ave SW, Suite 400 Grand Rapids, MI 49503
info@rightplace.org www.rightplace.org (616) 771-0325
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