Contact: Bill Rubin/Jacki Bradham, St. Croix EDC, 715-381-4383
On November 24th, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) released the October unemployment rates for Wisconsin’s 72 counties. St. Croix’s rate was estimated at 5.7%, which is higher than the September rate of 5.4%, but lower than the August and July rates of 6.2%. A year ago, the county’s unemployment rate was estimated at 7.1%.
“St. Croix County’s unemployment rate has fallen steadily since early 2010,” said William Rubin, executive director of St. Croix Economic Development Corporation. “There are encouraging signs of an economic recovery which will soon lead to capital investment by area business and industry.”
St. Croix County is located in west central Wisconsin along the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. St. Croix and Pierce counties are included in the federal definition of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI metropolitan area. In 2008, St. Croix became aligned with the 10-county economic development and marketing organization known as Momentum West. The October 2010 unemployment rates for the Momentum West region are:
County – October 2010 Unemployment Rate – Rank – Rate One Year Ago
Barron – 6.8% – 42 of 72 – 7.6%
Chippewa – 6.3% – 53 of 72 – 6.9%
Clark – 7.6% – 26 of 72 – 8.1%
Dunn – 5.3% – 69 of 72 – 5.8%
Eau Claire – 5.9% – 57 of 72 – 6.0%
Pepin – 5.2% – 70 of 72 – 5.6%
Pierce – 5.4% – 68 of 72 – 6.5%
Polk – 7.3% – 35 of 72 – 9.0%
Rusk – 8.8% – 7 of 72 – 10.0%
St. Croix – 5.7% – 62 of 72 – 7.1%
Wisconsin – 7.0% – NA – 7.9%
United States – 9.2% – NA – 9.5%
Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and St. Croix Economic Development Corp.
In its November 24th release, DWD said 32 counties had lower rates or no change from September to October. Compared to October 2009, 67 counties had lower rates, and one, Vilas, had no change.
Ten counties had October unemployment rates lower than St. Croix’s rate of 5.7%. Dane County recorded Wisconsin’s lowest rate at 5.0%, followed by Buffalo, also at 5.0%, and Pepin at 5.2%. Menominee County had the highest rate in October at 14.0% and Rock County was next at 9.5%.
The preliminary unemployment rate for Wisconsin in October was estimated at 7.0% (not seasonally adjusted), which is the same as the September rate, but lower than August’s rate of 7.7%. The state’s rate was 7.9% one year ago (not seasonally adjusted).
The preliminary unadjusted unemployment rate in the U.S. in October was estimated at 9.2% (not seasonally adjusted), which is the same rate as September, but lower than August’s rate of 9.5%. One year ago the U.S. rate was estimated at 9.5% (not seasonally adjusted).
