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| Tuesday, June 30, 1998 Governor Tommy G. Thompson Secretary Linda Stewart | News Media Contact Michael H. McCoy 608/267-4400 e-mail: mccoymi@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784 |
For more information contact:
August Cibarich, DWD Labor Market Economist, 608/266-0522
Wisconsin’s May jobless rate
remains "remarkably low"
Madison, Wis. -- Wisconsin’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 2.7 per cent in mid-May, the state’s second lowest on record and down substantially from the year-ago rate of 3.7 per cent, a state agency announced today.
The record was set only a month earlier, when April’s 2.4 per cent rate became the lowest for the state for any month since record-keeping began in 1960.
Connie Hagen, Executive Assistant in the Workforce Development Department, said that the Wisconsin labor market remains "extremely strong and the jobless rate remains remarkably low."
"Only three states in the U.S. had lower jobless rates in May than did Wisconsin. We’re still a state that other states envy because of our great labor market conditions.
"Fifteen years ago we thought we might never see an unemployment rate below 3.0 per cent. Now we’ve been below 3.0 per cent for three of the last four months. That’s great news."
The May rate increase was at least partially the result of unseasonably warm weather this spring, distorting the normal seasonal patterns.
"We said last month that seasonally-warm weather meant many employers had moved up their hiring for the spring," said Hagen. "Employers who normally hire in May hired in April this year. We knew that might make May look a little poorer in comparison, even if the rate remained very low. It was just very unlikely the rate could stay at that amazing low level."
February’s state rate was 2.9 per cent, while January’s was 3.2 and March was 3.1.
The only states with lower rates than Wisconsin in May were Nebraska, at 2.0 per cent, North Dakota, at 2.1, and Iowa at 2.3. Minnesota and Wisconsin were tied for fourth lowest at 2.7 per cent. Michigan’s rate was 3.7, while Illinois’ was 3.9.
The U.S. rate was unchanged over the month at 4.3 per cent.
Nonfarm wage and salary job growth in the state continued in May, with the overall total and most seasonally-adjusted industry totals at record levels.
Among industries with seasonally-strong employment growth between April and May were: retail trade, up 10,400 jobs before seasonal adjustment; construction, up 9,200; services, up 7,200; transportation and public utilities, up 2,400; wholesale trade, up 1,200, and durable goods manufacturing, up 500. Private sector job growth was up a seasonally-strong 32,800 over the month and 55,000 over the year.
Within the private sector, only the very small mining group and one part of manufacturing -- nondurable goods employers -- were not at record levels. Government job totals also were below the record level established last month.
Total employment, which counts the number of people holding jobs, grew by 21,000 before seasonal adjustment, but because the average gain for the month usually is even greater, it declined. "Here, too, the seasonal gains occurred earlier this year," Hagen said.
Seasonally-adjusted unemployment rates increased by one- or two-tenths of a percentage point in seven of the 11 largest urban areas in the state.
Rates were unchanged in Madison (1.1 per cent and the second lowest in the U.S. for the second consecutive month), Sheboygan (1.7 per cent), Appleton-Oshkosh (2.2 per cent), and Milwaukee (2.6 per cent).
All 11 areas had substantial rate reductions when compared to year-earlier rates.
Employment and Labor Force
Household Survey
| Unadjusted estimates | May 1998 | previous month | Year ago |
Total labor force | 2,941,700 | 2,925,400 | 2,913,000 |
Employed | 2,868,000 | 2,846,800 | 2,810,100 |
Unemployed | 73,800 | 78,700 | 102,900 |
Wis. Unemployment Rate | 2.5% | 2.7% | 3.5% |
U.S. Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Seasonally adjusted | May 1998 | previous month | Year ago |
Total labor force | 2,949,200 | 2,947,900 | 2,919,400 |
Employed | 2,870,900 | 2,878,400 | 2,811,900 |
Unemployed | 78,300 | 69,400 | 107,500 |
Wis. Unemployment | 2.7% | 2.4% | 3.7% |
U.S. Unemployment | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| April U.S. rank* | Unemployment | May | Last | Year |
| Wisconsin | 2.7% | 2.4% | 3.7% |
40 | Appleton-Oshkosh | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.9 |
55 | Eau Claire | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.6 |
32 | Green Bay | 2.3 | 2.1 | 3.3 |
67 | Janesville-Beloit | 3.1 | 2.9 | 4.5 |
51 | Kenosha | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.6 |
22 | La Crosse | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.9 |
2 | Madison | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.7 |
55 | Milwaukee-Waukesha | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.7 |
132 | Racine | 3.2 | 3.1 | 4.4 |
11 | Sheboygan | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.6 |
81 | Wausau | 2.7 | 2.6 | 3.6 |
| * This is the latest available data for the U.S.’s 328 largest metro areas. Urban rankings are NOT seasonally adjusted. Lower is better. Ties are shown only if existing with other Wisconsin urban areas; ties with urban areas in other states are not shown, but are available upon request. | ||||
Non-Farm Wage & Salary
Employer Survey
May 1998 | April 1998 | Year Ago | +/- month | +/– year | |
| NONFARM WAGE & SALARY | 2,717,600 | 2,687,900 | 2,656,900 | 29,700 | 60,700 |
| MANUFACTURING | 616,500 | 615,200 | 605,400 | 1,300 | 11,100 |
| DURABLE GOODS . | 379,300 | 378,500 | 370,200 | 800 | 9,100 |
| Lumber and Wood Products | 31,500 | 31,000 | 31,000 | 500 | 500 |
| Furniture and Fixtures | 17,300 | 17,400 | 16,900 | -100 | 400 |
| Stone, Clay & Glass Products | 11,500 | 10,900 | 10,900 | 600 | 600 |
| Primary Metal Industries | 26,500 | 26,100 | 24,500 | 400 | 2,000 |
| Fabricated Metal Products | 66,300 | 66,500 | 65,100 | -200 | 1,200 |
| Nonelectrical Machinery | 115,700 | 116,200 | 114,000 | -500 | 1,700 |
| Electrical Machinery | 47,000 | 47,100 | 46,400 | -100 | 600 |
| Transportation Equipment . | 33,500 | 33,500 | 32,300 | 0 | 1,200 |
| Prof., Scient. & Control Instr | 18,400 | 18,300 | 17,900 | 100 | 500 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 11,700 | 11,500 | 11,200 | 200 | 500 |
| NONDURABLE GOODS | 237,200 | 236,700 | 235,300 | 500 | 1,900 |
| Food and Kindred Products | 63,000 | 62,700 | 63,800 | 300 | -800 |
| Textile Mill Products | 3,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Apparel & Other Finished Prods. | 6,400 | 6,400 | 6,200 | 0 | 200 |
| Paper and Allied Products . | 53,400 | 53,200 | 53,100 | 200 | 300 |
| Printing, Publishing & Allied . .. | 55,400 | 55,100 | 53,300 | 300 | 2,100 |
| Chemicals and Allied Products . | 14,600 | 14,500 | 14,300 | 100 | 300 |
| Rubber & Misc. Plastic Prods.. | 36,400 | 36,600 | 36,300 | -200 | 100 |
| Leather & Leather Products | 4,700 | 4,900 | 5,000 | -200 | -300 |
| All Other Nondurable Goods .. | 400 | 300 | 400 | 100 | 0 |
| MINING | 2,600 | 2,300 | 2,800 | 300 | -200 |
| CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION | 114,200 | 105,000 | 111,700 | 9,200 | 2,500 |
| TRANS, COMM, ELEC, GAS | 126,400 | 124,000 | 125,700 | 2,400 | 700 |
| TRADE | 615,400 | 603,800 | 602,900 | 11,600 | 12,500 |
| WHOLESALE TRADE | 136,500 | 135,300 | 133,100 | 1,200 | 3,400 |
| RETAIL TRADE | 478,900 | 468,500 | 469,800 | 10,400 | 9,100 |
| FINANCE, INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE | 143,100 | 142,400 | 139,600 | 700 | 3,500 |
| SERVICES AND MISCELLANEOUS | 699,000 | 691,800 | 674,000 | 7,200 | 25,000 |
| GOVERNMENT | 400,400 | 403,500 | 394,700 | -3,100 | 5,700 |
| FEDERAL | 29,300 | 29,400 | 29,600 | -100 | -300 |
| STATE | 99,300 | 101,500 | 96,900 | -2,200 | 2,400 |
| LOCAL | 271,800 | 272,600 | 268,200 | -800 | 3,600 |
| PERSONS INVOLVED IN L-M DISPUTES | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Unemployment by County
May 1998
not seasonally adjusted
| COUNTY |
| LAST | LAST |
| COUNTY |
| LAST | LAST | |
27 | ADAMS | 3.0% | 3.4% | 30 | 46 | MARATHON | 2.5% | 2.8% | 46 | |
3 | ASHLAND | 6.6% | 7.1% | 4 | 7 | MARINETTE | 4.9% | 5.1% | 15 | |
36 | BARRON | 2.9% | 3.3% | 31 | 11 | MARQUETTE | 4.1% | 4.7% | 16 | |
8 | BAYFIELD | 4.7% | 6.4% | 5 | 1 | MENOMINEE | 9.2% | 9.3% | 1 | |
58 | BROWN | 2.2% | 2.3% | 61 | 24 | MILWAUKEE | 3.1% | 3.1% | 36 | |
63 | BUFFALO | 2.0% | 2.5% | 52 | 41 | MONROE | 2.6% | 3.0% | 39 | |
44 | BURNETT | 2.5% | 3.0% | 38 | 15 | OCONTO | 3.8% | 4.6% | 17 | |
62 | CALUMET | 2.1% | 2.2% | 63 | 25 | ONEIDA | 3.0% | 4.4% | 18 | |
50 | CHIPPEWA | 2.4% | 3.0% | 37 | 60 | OUTAGAMIE | 2.1% | 2.5% | 53 | |
10 | CLARK | 4.1% | 5.3% | 11 | 71 | OZAUKEE | 1.6% | 1.5% | 71 | |
23 | COLUMBIA | 3.1% | 3.7% | 25 | 39 | PEPIN | 2.7% | 3.1% | 35 | |
29 | CRAWFORD | 3.0% | 3.3% | 33 | 70 | PIERCE | 1.6% | 2.0% | 66 | |
72 | DANE | 1.2% | 1.2% | 72 | 35 | POLK | 2.9% | 3.5% | 29 | |
61 | DODGE | 2.1% | 2.4% | 58 | 31 | PORTAGE | 3.0% | 3.0% | 42 | |
17 | DOOR | 3.6% | 5.1% | 13 | 13 | PRICE | 3.9% | 5.1% | 14 | |
16 | DOUGLAS | 3.7% | 3.9% | 22 | 28 | RACINE | 3.0% | 3.3% | 32 | |
56 | DUNN | 2.2% | 2.5% | 54 | 47 | RICHLAND | 2.5% | 2.8% | 47 | |
57 | EAU CLAIRE | 2.2% | 2.4% | 59 | 32 | ROCK | 3.0% | 2.7% | 49 | |
4 | FLORENCE | 5.9% | 6.4% | 6 | 9 | RUSK | 4.2% | 5.4% | 10 | |
53 | FOND DU LAC | 2.3% | 2.6% | 50 | 45 | SAUK | 2.5% | 2.9% | 43 | |
5 | FOREST | 5.4% | 7.4% | 3 | 12 | SAWYER | 4.0% | 5.9% | 7 | |
30 | GRANT | 3.0% | 3.0% | 41 | 26 | SHAWANO | 3.0% | 3.6% | 26 | |
40 | GREEN | 2.7% | 2.7% | 48 | 69 | SHEBOYGAN | 1.7% | 1.7% | 70 | |
19 | GREEN LAKE | 3.6% | 4.1% | 21 | 67 | ST. CROIX | 1.8% | 2.0% | 67 | |
52 | IOWA | 2.3% | 2.8% | 45 | 33 | TAYLOR | 2.9% | 5.5% | 9 | |
2 | IRON | 7.2% | 8.4% | 2 | 43 | TREMPEALEAU | 2.5% | 3.1% | 34 | |
42 | JACKSON | 2.6% | 2.9% | 44 | 34 | VERNON | 2.9% | 3.5% | 28 | |
64 | JEFFERSON | 2.0% | 2.3% | 60 | 38 | VILAS | 2.7% | 5.1% | 12 | |
6 | JUNEAU | 5.0% | 5.6% | 8 | 65 | WALWORTH | 2.0% | 2.1% | 65 | |
48 | KENOSHA | 2.5% | 2.5% | 56 | 20 | WASHBURN | 3.4% | 4.4% | 19 | |
54 | KEWAUNEE | 2.3% | 2.6% | 51 | 55 | WASHINGTON | 2.3% | 2.2% | 64 | |
66 | LA CROSSE | 2.0% | 2.0% | 68 | 68 | WAUKESHA | 1.8% | 1.9% | 69 | |
37 | LAFAYETTE | 2.8% | 3.0% | 40 | 51 | WAUPACA | 2.4% | 2.5% | 55 | |
18 | LANGLADE | 3.6% | 4.3% | 20 | 14 | WAUSHARA | 3.9% | 3.8% | 24 | |
22 | LINCOLN | 3.3% | 3.8% | 23 | 59 | WINNEBAGO | 2.2% | 2.3% | 62 | |
49 | MANITOWOC | 2.5% | 2.5% | 57 | 21 | WOOD | 3.4% | 3.6% | 27 |
Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development