State desk
Ranks 34th of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Michigan stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 11 Michigan outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Michigan in red. Free to cite with attribution.
A permit is required; county boards must issue a concealed-pistol license to qualified applicants meeting objective criteria.
Michigan is 1 of 15 states with this rule
29 · Constitutional (Permitless) Carry6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Michigan taxes individual income at a single flat rate of 4.25 percent, ranking 30 of 41 among the states that tax income. Fifteen states use a single-rate structure.
Michigan is 1 of 15 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only26 · Graduated Brackets
Michigan charges 53.40 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 6 of 50, which is among the highest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 71.80 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 53.40 cents.
Michigan is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Near the Middle17 · Among the Lowest
Abolished in 1847 — the first state to do so.
Michigan is 1 of 23 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty4 · Retains it, executions paused
No longer right-to-work; repealed its 2012 law effective early 2024 — the first state in decades to do so.
Michigan is 1 of 24 states with this rule
26 · Right-to-Work
State minimum wage is $13.73, above the federal $7.25 floor; rising to $14.16 on February 21, 2027.
Michigan is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
Voters are asked for photo ID; those without one can still vote by signing an affidavit of identity.
Michigan is 1 of 14 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)14 · No Document Required
No private-choice program; the state constitution bars public aid to private schools.
Michigan is 1 of 17 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal16 · Limited Program
NCSL lists Michigan among states recognizing, by statute or court case, that there is no duty to retreat in any place where a person is lawfully present. Self-defense law here also shields a person from civil suit for damages.
Michigan is 1 of 31 states with this rule
7 · Recognized by Court Decision12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot by mail without providing a reason.
Michigan is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
Michigan's unemployment rate was 5.0% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, unchanged from August. It ranks 47th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 4.9%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Michigan is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court