Contact: Rose Lynch (608) 266-6753
2005 Preliminary Summary
Madison – Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today announced that the state’s preliminary annual average unemployment rate for 2005 was 4.7 percent, which is the lowest annual average unemployment rate for Wisconsin since a 4.4 percent rate was measured in 2001.
“In preliminary figures for 2005, Wisconsin experienced the lowest annual average unemployment rate for the state in four years. This remarkable news further illustrates the vitality and strength of Wisconsin’s labor market,” Secretary Gassman said.
Adjusted Data
Wisconsin’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was estimated to be 4.8 percent in December 2005, which was slightly higher than November’s rate by one-tenth of a percentage point. December’s seasonally adjusted rate was also one-tenth of a percentage point higher than December 2004. The nation’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was estimated at 4.9 percent in December 2005, down from November’s rate of 5.0 percent and was lower than last December’s measure of 5.4 percent.
Unadjusted Data
Wisconsin’s unadjusted unemployment rate was estimated at 4.5 percent in December 2005. This was higher than November’s rate by two-tenths of a percentage point and was higher than the December 2004 rate, also by two-tenths of percentage point. The national unadjusted rate was 4.6 percent in December 2005
The nonfarm wage and salary employment survey estimated a total 2,860,100 jobs in December 2005. December’s total represented a net decrease of 9,900 jobs compared to November’s revised monthly estimates. Most of this overall net loss was centered upon a decrease in construction employment of 8,400 jobs, which could be characterized as a seasonal change. Noteworthy monthly job gains were measured in retail trade, wholesale trade, manufacturing, and financial activities employment.
December’s overall total nonfarm employment marks the highest recorded number of jobs for the month of December. From an annual view, Wisconsin has 37,700 more jobs than it had in December 2004 with the majority of the state’s major employment sectors posting annual jobs gains. In the goods-producing sectors, manufacturing posted 3,100 jobs more than it had compared to last December and construction employment posted record-high job levels in every month of 2005, for each respective month. The largest annual job gains were measured in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, construction, and educational and health services. Wholesale trade and retail trade, combined, measured a net loss of 400 jobs as retail trade decreased annually by 5,300 jobs. This loss was significantly offset by a 4,900 job gain in wholesale trade employment.
December employment and unemployment figures for individual counties will be available January 25, 2006. This release also is available at HTUhttp://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/newsreleases/UTH.
