St. Croix EDC: Announces November unemployment rates for 10-county region

Contact: Bill Rubin/Jacki Bradham, St. Croix EDC, 715-381-4383

Rates Across the Region are Lower Than One Year Ago

County unemployment rates for November 2010 have been posted by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD). St. Croix County’s rate, estimated at 6.1%, rose for the second consecutive month. In September, St. Croix’s rate was 5.4% and the October rate was announced at 5.7%. A year ago, the St. Croix’s unemployment rate was estimated at 7.3%.

DWD said 28 counties had lower unemployment rates or no change from October 2010 to November 2010. Compared to November 2009, all 72 counties had lower rates. The rates in the 10-county Momentum West region of west central and northwest Wisconsin follow the same trend. Three counties — Barron, Dunn, and Eau Claire — had lower unemployment rates from October to November — while Chippewa, Clark, Pepin, Polk, Rusk, and St. Croix counties experienced higher rates. Pierce County had no change from October to November and remained at 5.4%.

Fourteen counties had unemployment rates lower than St. Croix in November. Dane County recorded the lowest rate at 4.7%, followed by Buffalo, also at 4.9% and Dunn at 5.2%. Menominee County had the highest rate in November at 13.0% and Bayfield County was at 10.5%.

“Unemployment rates usually tick upward at this time of year due to the seasonal nature of some businesses,” said William Rubin, executive director of St. Croix Economic Development Corporation. “All counties aligned with the Momentum West region have unemployment rates that are lower than one year ago. While this is encouraging, employers have a long way to go to achieve consistent rates below five percent. Just five years ago, the November 2005 unemployment rate in St. Croix County was 3.8 percent and Wisconsin’s rate was 4.7 percent.”

Wisconsin’s preliminary unemployment rate for November was estimated at 7.1% (not seasonally adjusted), which is higher than the October and September rate of 7.0%, but lower than August’s rate of 7.7%. The state’s rate was 8.0% one year ago (not seasonally adjusted).

The preliminary unadjusted unemployment rate in the U.S. in November was estimated at 9.3% (not seasonally adjusted), which is higher than the October and September rate of 9.2%, but lower than August’s rate of 9.5%. One year ago the U.S. rate was estimated at 9.4% (not seasonally adjusted).