Wednesday, June 21, 2000
Governor
Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary
Linda Stewart |
News Media Contact
Christopher Marschman
608/261-6705
e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us
fax: 608/266-1784 |
Contact: August Cibarich, 608/266-0522MAY UNEMPLOYMENT RATES RELEASEDMADISON—The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today announced the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in April was 3.3 percent, which is down from 3.4 last month. "The latest employment figures for the State of Wisconsin continue to demonstrate the overall strength of the Wisconsin economy," said DWD Secretary Linda Stewart. "There are less people unemployed and more people working in than there were a month ago, which is good news for job seekers and employers alike." There were nearly 25,000 more people employed in Wisconsin in May than there were the month before and approximately 148,000 more people working than there were last year at that same time. Stewart noted that, although there are more people working in Wisconsin, there are still many jobs out there that employers need to fill. "Our employment data is a clear indicator of a strong job market and a growing labor force. This is good news for Wisconsin," Stewart said. "Though the labor shortage has been a challenge for many employers, the rising number of people working and the continued low unemployment seem to indicate that employers appear to be successful in attracting workers." Unemployment figures in most of the state’s metropolitan areas were down as well. Rates for the month increased in just two of the eleven Wisconsin metropolitan areas, while it decreased in six and was unchanged in three. State labor market analysts note that the increase in nonfarm wage and salary jobs, 26,400 over the month, though significant, was less than typically seen between April and May. They suggest that heavy, extensive rainfall during that time period in the southern part of the state could be a contributing factor. County unemployment rates, which are not seasonally adjusted, were below 4.0 percent for the majority of Wisconsin counties. Fifty-one counties had rates of 3.9 percent or less, seventeen ranged from 4.0 to 5.9 percent and five had rates of 6.0 percent or more. The nation’s unemployment rate increased three tenths to 4.2 percent, marking the 148th consecutive month that Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has been lower than the national rate. (end) |
Employment and Labor Force
Household Survey | Unadjusted estimates | May 2000 | April 2000 | May 1999 | Total labor force | 3,005,300 | 2,991,600 | 2,846,300 | Employed | 2,912,200 | 2,887,600 | 2,764,600 | Unemployed | 93,100 | 104,000 | 81,700 | Wis. Unemployment Rate | 3.1% | 3.5% | 2.9% | U.S. Unemployment Rate | 3.9% | 3.7% | 4.0% | | Seasonally adjusted | May 2000 | April 2000 | May 1999 | Total labor force | 3,015,700 | 3,015,500 | 2,855,600 | Employed | 2,915,100 | 2,913,800 | 2,766,500 | Unemployed | 100,600 | 101,600 | 89,100 | Wis. Unemployment | 3.3% | 3.4% | 3.1% | U.S. Unemployment | 4.1% | 3.9% | 4.2% |
| *Metro National rank April 2000 |
Unemployment
% seasonally adjusted
| May
2000 | April
2000 | May
1999 | 17th | Wisconsin | 3.3% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 79th | Appleton-Oshkosh | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 237th | Eau Claire | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 79th | Green Bay | 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 265th | Janesville-Beloit | 4.5% | 5.0% | 3.4% | 212th | Kenosha | 3.6% | 3.8% | 3.2% | 168th | La Crosse | 3.2% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 9th | Madison | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.3% | 202nd | Milwaukee-Waukesha | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.1% | 265th | Racine | 4.7% | 4.3% | 4.5% | 57th | Sheboygan | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 159th | Wausau | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.8% | - This is the latest available data for the U.S.’s 331 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. Rankings are by the U.S. Labor Department and are based on unadjusted data for the previous month, while the rates shown above for Wisconsin cities are seasonally-adjusted and for the current month.
- **State ranking is seasonally adjusted
- *Metropolitan ranking is not seasonally adjusted and is for the prior month
| Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
LABOR FORCE SUMMARY
IN THOUSANDS | | ITEM | Prelim.
May 2000 | Final
April 2000 | Year Ago
May 1999 | Net Change From | Month
Ago | Year
Ago | | | | | | | | | PLACE OF RESIDENCE DATA | | | | | | | CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE | 3005.3 | 2991.6 | 2846.3 | 13.7 | 159.0 | | UNEMPLOYMENT | 93.1 | 104.0 | 81.7 | -10.9 | 11.4 | | UNEMPLOYMENT RATE | 3.1 | 3.5 | 2.9 | -0.4 | 0.2 | | EMPLOYMENT (1) | 2912.2 | 2887.6 | 2764.6 | 24.6 | 147.6 | | | | | | | | | PLACE OF WORK DATA | | | | | | | NONFARM WAGE & SALARY | 2827.4 | 2801.0 | 2786.5 | 26.4 | 40.9 | | MANUFACTURING | 610.9 | 610.5 | 613.7 | 0.4 | -2.8 | | DURABLE GOODS | 376.1 | 376.1 | 376.5 | 0.0 | -0.4 | | Lumber and Wood Products | 32.7 | 32.4 | 32.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | | Furniture and Fixtures | 18.3 | 18.2 | 17.6 | 0.1 | 0.7 | | Stone, Clay & Glass Products | 12.6 | 12.2 | 11.5 | 0.4 | 1.1 | | Primary Metal Industries | 26.1 | 26.1 | 26.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | Fabricated Metal Products | 68.7 | 68.6 | 67.8 | 0.1 | 0.9 | | Nonelectrical Machinery | 109.4 | 109.9 | 112.4 | -0.5 | -3.0 | | Electrical Machinery | 45.9 | 46.2 | 46.2 | -0.3 | -0.3 | | Transportation Equipment | 34.3 | 34.3 | 33.5 | 0.0 | 0.8 | | Prof., Scient. & Control Instr. | 17.6 | 17.7 | 17.7 | -0.1 | -0.1 | | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 10.5 | 10.6 | 11.2 | -0.1 | -0.7 | | | | | | | | | NONDURABLE GOODS | 234.8 | 234.4 | 237.2 | 0.4 | -2.4 | | Food and Kindred Products | 63.5 | 62.8 | 63.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | | Textile Mill Products | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 0.0 | -0.3 | | Apparel & Other Finished Prods. | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | | Paper and Allied Products | 50.9 | 51.1 | 52.4 | -0.2 | -1.5 | | Printing, Publishing & Allied | 54.2 | 54.3 | 55.0 | -0.1 | -0.8 | | Chemicals and Allied Products | 14.1 | 14.2 | 14.7 | -0.1 | -0.6 | | Rubber & Misc. Plastic Products | 39.4 | 39.6 | 38.6 | -0.2 | 0.8 | | Leather & Leather Products | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 0.0 | -0.3 | | All Other Nondurable Goods | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | | | | | | | | | MINING | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | | CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION | 126.4 | 118.4 | 124.1 | 8.0 | 2.3 | | TRANS, COMM, ELEC, GAS & SAN. SERV. | 134.2 | 132.2 | 131.7 | 2.0 | 2.5 | | TRADE | 643.0 | 631.5 | 625.2 | 11.5 | 17.8 | | WHOLESALE TRADE | 139.4 | 138.2 | 137.7 | 1.2 | 1.7 | | RETAIL TRADE | 503.6 | 493.3 | 487.5 | 10.3 | 16.1 | | FINANCE, INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE | 149.7 | 148.8 | 146.0 | 0.9 | 3.7 | | SERVICES AND MISCELLANEOUS | 748.5 | 741.1 | 734.3 | 7.4 | 14.2 | | GOVERNMENT | 411.6 | 415.9 | 408.6 | -4.3 | 3.0 | | FEDERAL | 33.4 | 33.4 | 30.0 | 0.0 | 3.4 | | STATE | 100.4 | 102.2 | 101.7 | -1.8 | -1.3 | | LOCAL | 277.9 | 280.3 | 276.9 | -2.4 | 1.0 | | | | | | | | | PERSONS INVOLVED IN L-M DISPUTES | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | | (1) Includes L-M Disputes | SEASONALLY ADJUSTED LABOR FORCE ESTIMATES | | CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE | 3015.7 | 3015.5 | 2855.6 | 0.2 | 160.1 | | UNEMPLOYMENT | 100.6 | 101.6 | 89.1 | -1.0 | 11.5 | | UNEMPLOYMENT RATE | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.1 | -0.1 | 0.2 | | EMPLOYMENT | 2915.1 | 2913.8 | 2766.5 | 1.3 | 148.6 |
Maps of May 2000 Unemployment Rates by County WISCONSIN COUNTIES
Unemployment Rates
May 2000
(Not Seasonally Adjusted) | RANK | COUNTY | RATE | LAST
RATE | LAST
RANK | YR AGO
RATE | | RANK | COUNTY | RATE | LAST
RATE | LAST
RANK | YR AGO
RATE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 39 | | ADAMS | 3.2% | 4.1% | 36 | 3.0% | | 54 | | MARATHON | 2.6% | 3.2% | 52 | 2.6% | 3 | | ASHLAND | 6.9% | 9.1% | 2 | 8.2% | | 26 | | MARINETTE | 3.7% | 4.5% | 27 | 4.4% | 30 | | BARRON | 3.4% | 4.3% | 33 | 3.4% | | 7 | | MARQUETTE | 5.4% | 6.7% | 11 | 4.4% | 6 | | BAYFIELD | 5.7% | 8.4% | 5 | 5.1% | | 1 | | MENOMINEE | 10.6% | 8.8% | 4 | 10.7% | 62 | | BROWN | 2.3% | 2.5% | 66 | 2.3% | | 11 | | MILWAUKEE | 4.5% | 4.5% | 30 | 3.8% | 31 | | BUFFALO | 3.4% | 3.9% | 39 | 2.5% | | 35 | | MONROE | 3.3% | 3.7% | 44 | 3.1% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 47 | | BURNETT | 3.0% | 4.4% | 31 | 4.1% | | 25 | | OCONTO | 3.7% | 4.8% | 23 | 4.1% | 70 | | CALUMET | 1.9% | 2.5% | 63 | 2.1% | | 20 | | ONEIDA | 4.0% | 6.3% | 13 | 3.6% | 32 | | CHIPPEWA | 3.3% | 4.6% | 24 | 3.5% | | 65 | | OUTAGAMIE | 2.2% | 2.7% | 61 | 2.3% | 15 | | CLARK | 4.3% | 5.8% | 14 | 4.5% | | 71 | | OZAUKEE | 1.9% | 2.0% | 71 | 1.8% | 23 | | COLUMBIA | 3.8% | 4.9% | 21 | 3.5% | | 27 | | PEPIN | 3.5% | 4.8% | 22 | 2.8% | 37 | | CRAWFORD | 3.3% | 3.4% | 50 | 3.2% | | 58 | | PIERCE | 2.4% | 3.0% | 56 | 2.3% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 72 | | DANE | 1.5% | 1.6% | 72 | 1.3% | | 40 | | POLK | 3.2% | 3.8% | 41 | 3.5% | 56 | | DODGE | 2.5% | 2.8% | 59 | 2.4% | | 42 | | PORTAGE | 3.2% | 3.4% | 49 | 3.2% | 24 | | DOOR | 3.7% | 5.6% | 16 | 3.8% | | 2 | | PRICE | 7.4% | 9.0% | 3 | 7.8% | 10 | | DOUGLAS | 4.5% | 5.5% | 17 | 4.5% | | 13 | | RACINE | 4.4% | 4.5% | 29 | 4.3% | 48 | | DUNN | 3.0% | 4.3% | 32 | 2.9% | | 51 | | RICHLAND | 2.8% | 3.7% | 42 | 2.5% | 36 | | EAU CLAIRE | 3.3% | 3.6% | 47 | 2.8% | | 12 | | ROCK | 4.4% | 4.6% | 25 | 3.2% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | | FLORENCE | 4.3% | 6.7% | 10 | 6.4% | | 8 | | RUSK | 4.9% | 7.3% | 7 | 3.9% | 55 | | FOND DU LAC | 2.6% | 3.1% | 54 | 2.3% | | 59 | | SAUK | 2.3% | 3.0% | 55 | 2.3% | 9 | | FOREST | 4.8% | 6.6% | 12 | 4.3% | | 16 | | SAWYER | 4.2% | 6.7% | 9 | 4.5% | 53 | | GRANT | 2.8% | 3.0% | 57 | 3.0% | | 44 | | SHAWANO | 3.1% | 4.1% | 35 | 3.1% | 41 | | GREEN | 3.2% | 3.7% | 43 | 3.3% | | 67 | | SHEBOYGAN | 2.1% | 2.3% | 69 | 1.9% | 34 | | GREEN LAKE | 3.3% | 4.1% | 37 | 3.2% | | 68 | | ST. CROIX | 2.0% | 2.5% | 64 | 2.1% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 60 | | IOWA | 2.3% | 2.8% | 58 | 2.4% | | 38 | | TAYLOR | 3.2% | 5.2% | 19 | 2.9% | 5 | | IRON | 6.1% | 10.6% | 1 | 5.8% | | 33 | | TREMPEALEAU | 3.3% | 4.5% | 26 | 2.7% | 49 | | JACKSON | 2.9% | 3.8% | 40 | 2.2% | | 45 | | VERNON | 3.1% | 4.0% | 38 | 3.1% | 57 | | JEFFERSON | 2.5% | 2.8% | 60 | 2.2% | | 17 | | VILAS | 4.1% | 7.4% | 6 | 3.4% | 4 | | JUNEAU | 6.9% | 7.3% | 8 | 6.6% | | 61 | | WALWORTH | 2.3% | 2.7% | 62 | 2.1% | 29 | | KENOSHA | 3.5% | 3.7% | 45 | 3.1% | | 21 | | WASHBURN | 4.0% | 5.7% | 15 | 4.2% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 69 | | KEWAUNEE | 2.0% | 2.4% | 67 | 2.6% | | 66 | | WASHINGTON | 2.2% | 2.5% | 65 | 2.0% | 52 | | LA CROSSE | 2.8% | 3.2% | 53 | 2.5% | | 63 | | WAUKESHA | 2.3% | 2.4% | 68 | 2.0% | 43 | | LAFAYETTE | 3.2% | 3.3% | 51 | 3.3% | | 46 | | WAUPACA | 3.1% | 3.6% | 46 | 2.8% | 18 | | LANGLADE | 4.1% | 5.3% | 18 | 3.9% | | 22 | | WAUSHARA | 4.0% | 4.5% | 28 | 4.0% | 19 | | LINCOLN | 4.1% | 5.0% | 20 | 4.5% | | 64 | | WINNEBAGO | | | |
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