Contact:
Rose Lynch, (608) 266-6753
UNADJUSTED DATA
Madison – Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today announced November unemployment rates below 4.0 percent in 29 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. Three counties had rates below 3.0 percent: Dane, 2.2 percent; Ozaukee, 2.5 percent, and Iowa, 2.8 percent.
Oconto County had the highest unemployment rate, estimated at 8.5 percent, followed by Menominee County, 8.4 percent, and Adams County, 7.3 percent. Thirteen counties had rates of 6.0 percent and higher. Many counties with high unemployment rates were in northern Wisconsin where the tourism and construction sectors were not as active as during the summer months.
“Although Wisconsin generally sees a bit of a slowdown in the economy as winter approaches, the state’s job market appears to be in better shape this year than it has been in four years,” Secretary Gassman said. “There are still pockets in the state that continue to experience difficulties, but overall, we see improvement and anticipate further gains under Governor Doyle’s ‘Grow Wisconsin’ initiative.”
Cities with the highest unemployment rates were Racine at 10.6 percent, Beloit, 8.2 percent, and Milwaukee, 7.9 percent. At 2.4 percent, Madison had the lowest rate, while Brookfield and New Berlin had the same low rate of 2.8 percent.
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA (METRO AREAS)
Four of the state’s eleven metropolitan areas saw a decrease in already low seasonally adjusted unemployment rates. Five saw their seasonally adjusted rates increase, and two experienced no change.
Although Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee had quite high rates and flat job markets, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Statistical Area saw an increase of about 800 jobs over October’s count and an increase of 17,100 jobs over last year’s November figure. The metropolitan areas of Madison, Appleton and Wausau also had an increase in jobs from October to November and since November of last year.
