MADISON – Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today released the May local unemployment rates that show declines in the majority of Wisconsin’s counties accompanied by job gains across all major metro areas.
“In May, Wisconsin’s labor market continued to see the steady overall month-to-month improvement it has experienced the past several months,” Secretary Gassman said. “We continue to see the expected seasonal job increases that occur when the weather warms and spring hiring begins. Wisconsin’s economy overall is holding up better than many parts of the nation.”
METRO AREAS
Unemployment rates decreased in five of the state’s twelve Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) in May compared to April. The Madison MSA had the lowest rate in May at 3.2 percent, followed by La Crosse at 3.6 percent. Janesville’s rate increased 1 percentage point to 6.1 percent for the highest rate among metro areas in the state. The Racine MSA rate declined for the third straight month, this time by .2 percentage points to 5.1 percent. Rates fell in ten MSAs when comparing year-ago figures.
For the third consecutive month, preliminary nonfarm wage and salary jobs increased in all 11 recorded metro areas. When May’s preliminary job numbers are compared to the May 2007 totals, the results show five metro areas increasing jobs, and six decreasing.
COUNTIES
Unemployment rates decreased in 61 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties in May, remained the same in 6 and increased in 5. The largest decrease was 2.5 percentage points in Vilas County, followed by Bayfield and Iron counties at 2.4 and 2.1 percentage points respectively. Rock County recorded the greatest increase in rate over the month, up 1.0 percent to 6.1 percent. Buffalo and Dane Counties recorded the lowest May rate at 3.0 percent, while Menominee had the highest rate at 9.1 percent.
On an annual basis, 64 counties recorded decreases, six had increases, and two had no change over the year. The greatest decrease occurred in Polk and Florence Counties, both down 1.3 percentage points, while Taylor County, which rose 1.0 percentage point, experienced the greatest increase.
Fifty-seven counties had rates less than five percent in May, compared to 42 in April, while two had rates above 7.0 percent, compared to 7 in April.
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Employment and Labor Force
Place of Residence Data
Unadjusted labor force estimates
Current Month Ago Year Ago
Total labor force 3,071,800 3,070,800 3,068,800
Employed 2,942,500 2,935,700 2,924,800
Unemployed 129,300 135,000 144,000
Wis. Unemployment Rate 4.2% 4.4% 4.7%
U.S. Unemployment Rate 5.2% 4.8% 4.3%
Adjusted labor force estimates
Current Month Ago Year Ago
Total labor force 3,089,200 3,096,700 3,087,600
Employed 2,952,300 2,964,200 2,937,300
Unemployed 136,900 132,500 150,300
Wis. Unemployment Rate 4.4% 4.3% 4.9%
U.S. Unemployment Rate 5.5% 5.0% 4.5%
Unadjusted Unemployment Rate, by WI Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
MSA Current Month Ago Year Ago
Wisconsin 4.2 4.4 4.7
Appleton 3.9 4.3 4.5
Eau Claire 3.7 4.3 4.6
Fond du Lac 4.0 4.1 4.5
Green Bay 4.2 4.3 4.6
Janesville 6.1 5.1 5.5
La Crosse 3.6 3.6 3.8
Madison 3.2 3.1 3.6
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis 4.4 4.3 5.0
Oshkosh-Neenah 4.0 4.0 4.6
Racine 5.1 5.3 5.7
Sheboygan 3.9 3.8 4.1
Wausau 4.3 4.3 4.2
Place of Work Data
Nonfarm wage and salary estimates, by WI Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), in thousands
MSA Current Month Ago Year Ago
Wisconsin 2887.9 2852.5 2904
Appleton 120.1 118.3 119.9
Eau Claire 84.6 83.9 84.5
Green Bay 171 168.9 170.8
Janesville 69 68.9 70.9
La Crosse 75.5 74.2 75.9
Madison 351.7 348.5 349
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis 857.6 851.5 861.9
Oshkosh-Neenah 94.2 93 93.9
Racine 80 79.2 80.6
Sheboygan 64.4 63.5 64.9
Wausau 72.9 72 73.4
Source *LAUS/CES and DWD Bureau of Workforce Training – Labor Market Information, and DWD Office of Economic Advisors
**As of February 2008, Fond du Lac MSA wage and salary estimates no longer reported due to Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics policy changes.
WISCONSIN COUNTIES
Unemployment Rates
May 2008
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)
RANK COUNTY RATE LAST RATE LASTRANK YR AGO RATE RANK COUNTY RATE LAST RATE LAST RANK YR AGO RATE
24 ADAMS 4.7% 5.7% 17 5.6% 36 MARATHON 4.3% 4.3% 51 4.2%
11 ASHLAND 5.1% 6.0% 13 5.6% 15 MARINETTE 5.0% 5.3% 24 5.8%
29 BARRON 4.5% 5.8% 16 5.2% 26 MARQUETTE 4.6% 5.4% 21 5.2%
7 BAYFIELD 5.5% 7.9% 3 5.5% 1 MENOMINEE 9.1% 10.0% 1 9.0%
41 BROWN 4.1% 4.1% 56 4.5% 13 MILWAUKEE 5.1% 4.9% 34 5.8%
71 BUFFALO 3.0% 3.4% 68 3.8% 65 MONROE 3.4% 3.7% 64 4.0%
6 BURNETT 5.9% 7.2% 7 5.7% 19 OCONTO 4.9% 5.9% 15 5.5%
62 CALUMET 3.6% 3.7% 65 4.6% 17 ONEIDA 4.9% 6.8% 8 5.2%
42 CHIPPEWA 4.0% 5.2% 26 5.1% 46 OUTAGAMIE 4.0% 4.4% 46 4.5%
21 CLARK 4.8% 5.5% 19 5.1% 69 OZAUKEE 3.2% 3.1% 71 3.7%
40 COLUMBIA 4.1% 4.6% 44 4.5% 64 PEPIN 3.4% 4.2% 52 4.0%
49 CRAWFORD 3.9% 4.6% 41 4.3% 44 PIERCE 4.0% 4.7% 38 4.2%
72 DANE 3.0% 2.9% 72 3.5% 23 POLK 4.7% 5.9% 14 6.0%
38 DODGE 4.2% 4.4% 47 4.9% 52 PORTAGE 3.9% 4.2% 53 4.3%
32 DOOR 4.4% 5.6% 18 5.0% 28 PRICE 4.6% 4.9% 32 5.2%
20 DOUGLAS 4.9% 5.2% 28 4.7% 12 RACINE 5.1% 5.3% 25 5.7%
60 DUNN 3.6% 4.3% 49 4.4% 45 RICHLAND 4.0% 4.6% 43 5.1%
63 EAU CLAIRE 3.6% 3.7% 66 4.2% 5 ROCK 6.1% 5.1% 30 5.5%
25 FLORENCE 4.7% 4.7% 40 6.0% 4 RUSK 6.3% 7.6% 4 6.7%
47 FOND DU LAC 4.0% 4.1% 55 4.5% 58 SAUK 3.7% 4.3% 50 4.4%
9 FOREST 5.1% 6.8% 9 6.2% 10 SAWYER 5.1% 6.8% 10 6.1%
51 GRANT 3.9% 4.4% 45 4.4% 34 SHAWANO 4.3% 4.9% 31 5.0%
57 GREEN 3.8% 4.0% 57 5.0% 55 SHEBOYGAN 3.9% 3.8% 63 4.1%
27 GREEN LAKE 4.6% 5.3% 23 4.9% 43 ST. CROIX 4.0% 4.8% 35 5.0%
56 IOWA 3.8% 4.7% 37 3.9% 3 TAYLOR 6.4% 7.4% 6 5.4%
2 IRON 7.2% 9.3% 2 7.2% 68 TREMPEALEAU 3.3% 3.9% 60 3.6%
37 JACKSON 4.2% 5.3% 22 4.6% 50 VERNON 3.9% 4.6% 42 4.3%
54 JEFFERSON 3.9% 4.0% 58 4.3% 16 VILAS 4.9% 7.4% 5 5.4%
33 JUNEAU 4.4% 4.8% 36 5.2% 53 WALWORTH 3.9% 4.1% 54 4.3%
22 KENOSHA 4.8% 4.9% 33 4.9% 8 WASHBURN 5.4% 6.4% 11 6.2%
61 KEWAUNEE 3.6% 3.9% 61 4.3% 59 WASHINGTON 3.7% 3.9% 62 4.2%
66 LA CROSSE 3.4% 3.4% 69 3.6% 67 WAUKESHA 3.4% 3.4% 70 3.8%
70 LAFAYETTE 3.1% 3.6% 67 3.7% 31 WAUPACA 4.5% 5.1% 29 4.9%
18 LANGLADE 4.9% 6.0% 12 5.7% 35 WAUSHARA 4.3% 4.7% 39 5.1%
14 LINCOLN 5.0% 5.5% 20 5.4% 48 WINNEBAGO 4.0% 4.0% 59 4.6%
39 MANITOWOC 4.2% 4.4% 48 5.1% 30 WOOD 4.5% 5.2% 27 5.1%
Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Bureau of Workforce Training – Labor Market Information Section
WISCONSIN CITIES
Unemployment Rates
May 2008
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)
RANK CITY RATE LAST LAST YR AGO
RATE RANK RATE
8 APPLETON CITY 5.2% 5.6% 6 5.6%
2 BELOIT CITY 7.8% 7.6% 2 7.3%
29 BROOKFIELD CITY 3.1% 2.8% 29 3.7%
31 CALEDONIA VILLAGE 2.2% 1.9% 31 2.4%
21 EAU CLAIRE CITY 4.0% 4.0% 20 4.7%
15 FOND DU LAC CITY 4.6% 4.9% 14 5.4%
25 FRANKLIN CITY 3.6% 3.4% 25 3.9%
5 GREEN BAY CITY 6.1% 6.2% 3 6.7%
19 GREENFIELD CITY 4.2% 3.9% 22 4.3%
3 JANESVILLE CITY 7.3% 5.3% 9 5.7%
10 KENOSHA CITY 5.2% 5.3% 8 5.6%
22 LA CROSSE CITY 4.0% 3.9% 21 4.4%
30 MADISON CITY 3.0% 2.7% 30 3.6%
14 MANITOWOC CITY 4.8% 5.2% 10 6.0%
28 MENOMONEE FALLS VILLAGE 3.4% 3.3% 26 3.8%
4 MILWAUKEE CITY 6.2% 6.0% 4 7.0%
7 MOUNT PLEASANT VILLAGE 5.3% 5.0% 13 5.2%
20 NEENAH CITY 4.1% 4.1% 19 4.6%
27 NEW BERLIN CITY 3.5% 3.2% 28 3.8%
23 OAK CREEK CITY 3.8% 3.7% 23 4.1%
18 OSHKOSH CITY 4.3% 4.3% 18 5.1%
1 RACINE CITY 7.8% 8.2% 1 9.0%
13 SHEBOYGAN CITY 4.9% 4.9% 15 4.9%
12 STEVENS POINT CITY 5.0% 5.2% 11 5.4%
24 SUN PRAIRIE CITY 3.7% 3.6% 24 4.1%
11 SUPERIOR CITY 5.2% 5.1% 12 4.9%
17 WAUKESHA CITY 4.3% 4.4% 17 4.9%
9 WAUSAU CITY 5.2% 5.3% 7 5.5%
26 WAUWATOSA CITY 3.6% 3.3% 27 3.8%
16 WEST ALLIS CITY 4.5% 4.6% 16 4.8%
6 WEST BEND CITY 5.7% 5.7% 5 6.0%
Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Bureau of Workforce Training – Labor Market Information Section
