MADISON – Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today announced March 2007 unemployment rates for the state’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSA).
In March, unemployment rates were lower in all but one of the state’s 12 MSAs compared to the previous month, with the Janesville MSA registering a 0.2 percentage point increase to 6.5 percent. The number of jobs increased in all metro areas over the month.
“Employment increased across all regions last month,” Secretary Gassman said. “The state’s economy continues to improve under Governor Doyle’s leadership.”
All of the state’s MSAs registered monthly job gains in March as seasonal employment patterns boosted the job ranks. The Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis MSA added 2,400 jobs over the past month. The Madison MSA increased jobs by 1,100. The other MSAs showed job gains in the 100- to 600-jobs range.
COUNTIES
Unemployment rates decreased in March in 63 of the state’s 72 counties. Five counties’ rates were unchanged over the month and four counties measured increases. The lowest county-level unemployment rate in March was 3.8 percent in Dane County, while Iron County’s was the highest at 10.3 percent. Menominee County’s unemployment rate, with a 1.3 percentage point increase, posted the highest monthly change in rate, while Lincoln County’s rate decreased the most, down 1.3 percentage point.
Compared to March 2006, 39 counties’ rates were lower, while 12 were unchanged, and 21 were higher. Menominee County measured the largest annual decrease in unemployment rate, down 2.8 percentage points. Florence County’s rate is also significantly lower, down 1.7 percentage point. Rock County and Richland County tied for the largest annual increase, each being nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than in March 2006.
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Employment and Labor Force
Place of Residence Data
Unadjusted labor force estimates
Current Month Ago Year Ago
Total labor force 3,071,900 3,070,700 3,036,400
Employed 2,900,600 2,890,200 2,867,500
Unemployed 171,300 180,500 169,000
Wis. Unemployment Rate 5.6% 5.9% 5.6%
U.S. Unemployment Rate 4.5% 4.9% 4.8%
Adjusted labor force estimates
Current Month Ago Year Ago
Total labor force 3,094,000 3,094,600 3,058,300
Employed 2,946,800 2,940,300 2,911,400
Unemployed 147,200 154,300 147,000
Wis. Unemployment Rate 4.8% 5.0% 4.8%
U.S. Unemployment Rate 4.4% 4.5% 4.7%
Unadjusted Unemployment Rate, by WI Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
MSA Current Month Ago Year Ago
Wisconsin 5.6 5.9 5.6
Appleton 5.3 5.7 5.4
Eau Claire 5.5 5.6 5.3
Fond du Lac 5.6 6.0 5.5
Green Bay 5.5 5.7 5.6
Janesville 6.5 6.3 5.6
La Crosse 4.7 5.0 4.7
Madison 4.1 4.2 3.8
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis 5.2 5.5 5.3
Oshkosh-Neenah 5.1 5.4 5.1
Racine 6.5 6.8 6.5
Sheboygan 4.7 5.0 4.5
Wausau 5.0 5.5 5.3
Place of Work Data
Nonfarm wage and salary estimates, by WI Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), in thousands
MSA Current Month Ago Year Ago
Wisconsin 2814.2 2802 2811.8
Appleton 119.2 118.5 115.9
Eau Claire 82.2 82.1 80.8
Fond du Lac 47.8 47.3 47.9
Green Bay 166.2 165.7 166.5
Janesville 68.5 68.0 69.2
La Crosse 73.3 73.1 72.7
Madison 341.9 340.8 341.4
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis 843.7 841.3 836.1
Oshkosh-Neenah 91.0 90.4 91.0
Racine 79.6 79.5 78.5
Sheboygan 62.8 62.6 63.1
Wausau 73.0 72.5 72.0
Source *Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Office of Economic Advisors
WISCONSIN COUNTIES
Unemployment Rates
March 2007
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)
RANK COUNTY RATE LAST RATE LASTRANK YR AGO RATE RANK COUNTY RATE LAST RATE LAST RANK YR AGO RATE
8 ADAMS 8.4% 9.2% 4 8.7% 63 MARATHON 5.0% 5.5% 61 5.3%
28 ASHLAND 6.7% 7.0% 29 7.7% 18 MARINETTE 7.5% 8.2% 14 7.9%
20 BARRON 7.4% 7.8% 20 7.4% 12 MARQUETTE 8.0% 8.4% 12 7.6%
5 BAYFIELD 8.7% 9.2% 5 9.5% 3 MENOMINEE 8.9% 7.6% 23 11.7%
60 BROWN 5.2% 5.3% 65 5.2% 45 MILWAUKEE 5.9% 6.1% 50 6.0%
66 BUFFALO 4.7% 5.0% 66 5.1% 64 MONROE 4.9% 5.4% 63 5.3%
9 BURNETT 8.2% 8.7% 9 7.9% 15 OCONTO 7.6% 8.0% 17 8.0%
62 CALUMET 5.0% 5.6% 60 4.5% 10 ONEIDA 8.1% 8.9% 6 8.2%
23 CHIPPEWA 6.9% 7.0% 30 7.0% 59 OUTAGAMIE 5.3% 5.7% 57 5.6%
19 CLARK 7.4% 8.4% 10 7.3% 71 OZAUKEE 4.0% 4.5% 71 3.9%
46 COLUMBIA 5.8% 6.5% 38 5.6% 30 PEPIN 6.6% 7.5% 24 6.6%
39 CRAWFORD 6.1% 6.3% 44 6.3% 49 PIERCE 5.8% 5.8% 56 5.9%
72 DANE 3.8% 3.8% 72 3.5% 16 POLK 7.6% 8.0% 18 7.7%
47 DODGE 5.8% 6.3% 41 5.8% 57 PORTAGE 5.4% 5.7% 59 5.9%
13 DOOR 7.8% 8.4% 11 8.2% 48 PRICE 5.8% 6.2% 47 6.8%
43 DOUGLAS 6.0% 6.3% 42 6.5% 31 RACINE 6.5% 6.8% 33 6.5%
44 DUNN 6.0% 6.3% 43 6.1% 38 RICHLAND 6.1% 6.5% 39 5.2%
68 EAU CLAIRE 4.7% 4.7% 68 4.2% 32 ROCK 6.5% 6.3% 45 5.6%
25 FLORENCE 6.8% 7.2% 28 8.5% 2 RUSK 9.6% 10.3% 1 9.0%
52 FOND DU LAC 5.6% 6.0% 52 5.5% 50 SAUK 5.6% 6.4% 40 5.6%
6 FOREST 8.6% 8.9% 8 8.8% 4 SAWYER 8.7% 9.3% 3 9.1%
41 GRANT 6.1% 5.9% 55 5.4% 35 SHAWANO 6.3% 6.6% 36 6.3%
40 GREEN 6.1% 5.9% 54 5.6% 67 SHEBOYGAN 4.7% 5.0% 67 4.5%
14 GREEN LAKE 7.8% 7.8% 21 7.4% 29 ST. CROIX 6.7% 6.8% 34 6.9%
42 IOWA 6.0% 6.6% 35 6.0% 17 TAYLOR 7.6% 8.0% 19 7.2%
1 IRON 10.3% 10.3% 2 10.4% 54 TREMPEALEAU 5.4% 6.1% 48 5.5%
22 JACKSON 7.3% 8.0% 16 7.9% 37 VERNON 6.1% 6.8% 31 5.9%
51 JEFFERSON 5.6% 6.1% 49 5.4% 7 VILAS 8.5% 8.9% 7 8.8%
24 JUNEAU 6.8% 7.5% 25 7.0% 55 WALWORTH 5.4% 6.0% 51 5.2%
53 KENOSHA 5.5% 6.2% 46 5.9% 11 WASHBURN 8.1% 8.4% 13 8.6%
56 KEWAUNEE 5.4% 5.7% 58 5.7% 65 WASHINGTON 4.8% 5.4% 62 4.8%
69 LA CROSSE 4.4% 4.6% 70 4.5% 70 WAUKESHA 4.3% 4.6% 69 4.3%
58 LAFAYETTE 5.3% 5.9% 53 5.4% 33 WAUPACA 6.4% 6.8% 32 6.4%
21 LANGLADE 7.4% 7.6% 22 7.7% 27 WAUSHARA 6.7% 7.3% 27 7.0%
26 LINCOLN 6.7% 8.0% 15 7.0% 61 WINNEBAGO 5.1% 5.4% 64 5.1%
36 MANITOWOC 6.3% 6.6% 37 6.0% 34 WOOD 6.3% 7.3% 26 6.5%
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development – Bureau of Workforce Information
WISCONSIN CITIES
Unemployment Rates
March 2007
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)
RANK CITY RATE LAST LAST YR AGO
RATE RANK RATE
9 APPLETON CITY 6.5% 6.9% 8 6.9%
2 BELOIT CITY 8.9% 8.5% 2 7.8%
29 BROOKFIELD CITY 3.7% 3.6% 29 3.7%
20 EAU CLAIRE CITY 5.1% 5.1% 22 4.6%
7 FOND DU LAC CITY 6.6% 7.0% 7 6.2%
27 FRANKLIN CITY 4.0% 4.1% 27 4.0%
3 GREEN BAY CITY 7.8% 7.9% 4 7.8%
23 GREENFIELD CITY 4.7% 4.8% 23 4.7%
8 JANESVILLE CITY 6.6% 6.6% 11 5.8%
11 KENOSHA CITY 6.2% 6.7% 10 6.7%
21 LA CROSSE CITY 5.0% 5.2% 21 5.1%
30 MADISON CITY 3.5% 3.5% 30 3.3%
5 MANITOWOC CITY 7.1% 7.4% 5 7.2%
24 MENOMONEE FALLS VILLAGE 4.2% 4.5% 24 4.2%
4 MILWAUKEE CITY 7.2% 7.3% 6 7.4%
15 MOUNT PLEASANT VILLAGE 5.7% 6.0% 14
19 NEENAH CITY 5.3% 5.5% 19 4.9%
26 NEW BERLIN CITY 4.0% 4.2% 26 4.1%
25 OAK CREEK CITY 4.1% 4.4% 25 4.3%
16 OSHKOSH CITY 5.6% 5.9% 16 5.5%
1 RACINE CITY 10.2% 10.0% 1 10.0%
13 SHEBOYGAN CITY 5.8% 6.0% 15 5.4%
10 STEVENS POINT CITY 6.4% 6.8% 9 7.3%
22 SUN PRAIRIE CITY 4.9% 5.2% 20 4.4%
14 SUPERIOR CITY 5.7% 6.0% 13 6.0%
17 WAUKESHA CITY 5.6% 5.8% 17 5.5%
12 WAUSAU CITY 6.1% 6.4% 12 6.6%
28 WAUWATOSA CITY 3.9% 4.0% 28 3.8%
18 WEST ALLIS CITY 5.4% 5.7% 18 5.5%
6 WEST BEND CITY 6.9% 8.0% 3 7.3%
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Bureau of Workforce Information
