Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Wednesday, October 23, 2002 Governor Scott McCallum Secretary Jennifer Reinert

News Media Contact Christopher Marschman 608/261-6705 e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784

SEPTEMBER LOCAL EMPLOYMENT FIGURES RELEASED

MADISON – Sixty-nine of Wisconsin’s seventy-two counties saw some decrease in their September unemployment rates, one county experienced an increase and two were unchanged from August in figures released today by the Department of Workforce Development.

"This month’s local employment figures show that the September drop of unemployed Wisconsin residents by nearly 17,000 was not specific to any particular region or industry but widespread across the state," said DWD Secretary Jennifer Alexander.

Thirty-seven Wisconsin’s counties had an unemployment rate of 4.0 percent or less in September, and seven of those had rates at or below 3.0 percent. The lowest rate was reported in Dane County at 2.2 percent followed by Vilas County at 2.6 percent and Door County at 2.7 percent. The states’ highest rate was experienced in Menominee County with a 10.2 percent unemployment rate. Menominee County had reported a 13.5 percent rate for August. Juneau County was next at 6.9 percent followed by Racine County at 6.2 percent.

While the City of Greenfield held steady at 3.7 percent, the rest of the state’s 28 largest municipalities experienced decreases in unemployment last month. Madison had the lowest rate in September at 2.5 percent, followed by Menomonee Falls and Brookfield, both at 3.3 percent. The highest was recorded in Racine at 10.0 percent, followed by Beloit at 8.6 percent and Milwaukee, also at 8.6 percent.

Last year in September, there were 52 counties in Wisconsin with unemployment rates at or below 4.0 percent. Last year’s September labor market statistics were largely unaffected by the attacks on the World Trade Center, as statistics are gathered for the week that includes the 12th of the month, and the impact of the Trade Center attack was not yet measurable. Nevertheless there were sixteen counties with a lower rate for September 2002 than they had reported for 2001. Four counties had the same rate reported for September of 2002 as they had reported for September 2001.

Many of the state’s lowest rates were reported for counties largely considered tourism destinations. Students returning to classrooms left many counties somewhat short of workers for the late days of summer.

(end)

 Employment and Labor Force
Household Survey

Unadjusted estimates	Sept. 2002	Aug. 2002	Sept. 2001
Total labor force	3,050,200	3,091,300	2,980,800
Employed	2,919,600	2,944,100	2,868,500
Unemployed	130,600	147,200	112,400
Wis. Unemployment Rate	4.3%	4.8%	3.8%
U.S. Unemployment Rate	5.4%	5.7%	4.7%

 

Seasonably adjusted	Sept. 2002	Aug. 2002	Sept. 2001
Total labor force	3,065,800	3,060,600	2,991,300
Employed	2,910,900	2,900,600	2,856,900
Unemployed	154,900	160,000	134,500
Wis. Unemployment	5.1%	5.2%	4.5%
U.S. Unemployment	5.6%	5.7%	5.0%

 

---

 

Sept. State Rank *August Area Rank	Unemployment % seasonally adjusted	Sept. 2002	Aug. 2002	Sept. 2001
26th	Wisconsin	5.1	5.2	4.5
98th	Appleton-Oshkosh	4.9	5.0	3.7
98th	Eau Claire	4.8	5.1	4.9
98th	Green Bay	4.6	4.8	3.8
247th	Janesville-Beloit	6.0	6.2	6.9
183rd	Kenosha	5.4	5.7	4.6
52nd	La Crosse	3.9	4.2	3.8
10th	Madison	2.6	2.7	2.0
232nd	Milwaukee-Waukesha	5.4	5.5	4.6
294th	Racine	6.9	7.1	7.0
93rd	Sheboygan	4.4	4.6	3.6
63rd	Wausau	4.4	4.6	3.7
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 metropolitan areas 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

---

Maps of September 2002 Unemployment Rates by County

WISCONSIN COUNTIES Unemployment Rates September 2002 Not Seasonally Adjusted)       COUNTY         RATE  LAST  RATE  LAST  RANK  YR    AGO  RATE       RANK   COUNTY RATE  LAST  RATE  LAST  RANK  YR     AGO  RATE     64 ADAMS 3.2% 3.6% 64 3.5% 59 MARATHON 3.4% 3.8% 59 2.9% 7 ASHLAND 5.9% 7.1% 4 4.3% 11 MARINETTE 5.3% 5.6% 15 5.0% 39 BARRON 4.0% 4.3% 43 3.3% 12 MARQUETTE 5.3% 5.1% 24 4.8% 51 BAYFIELD 3.6% 4.2% 45 3.2% 1 MENOMINEE 10.2% 13.5% 1 11.0% 38 BROWN 4.0% 4.4% 41 3.4% 4 MILWAUKEE 6.2% 6.8% 6 5.4% 69 BUFFALO 2.7% 3.2% 68 2.9% 28 MONROE 4.1% 6.6% 7 5.6%   49 BURNETT 3.7% 4.2% 46 4.2% 8 OCONTO 5.9% 6.4% 8 5.6% 43 CALUMET 3.9% 4.0% 56 3.5% 17 ONEIDA 4.9% 5.1% 22 3.1% 26 CHIPPEWA 4.2% 4.7% 31 4.1% 23 OUTAGAMIE 4.4% 4.6% 37 3.1% 29 CLARK 4.1% 5.0% 25 4.6% 55 OZAUKEE 3.5% 4.0% 53 2.7% 37 COLUMBIA 4.0% 4.4% 40 3.6% 54 PEPIN 3.5% 4.9% 27 3.5% 62 CRAWFORD 3.2% 3.7% 61 3.4% 48 PIERCE 3.8% 4.2% 47 2.7%   72 DANE 2.2% 2.5% 72 1.8% 22 POLK 4.4% 4.8% 29 3.9% 36 DODGE 4.0% 4.5% 39 4.4% 57 PORTAGE 3.4% 4.8% 28 2.9% 70 DOOR 2.7% 2.9% 70 3.0% 34 PRICE 4.0% 4.6% 33 4.0% 45 DOUGLAS 3.8% 4.6% 32 3.7% 3 RACINE 6.2% 6.9% 5 6.2% 68 DUNN 2.9% 3.3% 66 3.1% 53 RICHLAND 3.6% 3.9% 58 3.3% 58 EAU CLAIRE 3.4% 4.0% 52 3.5% 9 ROCK 5.4% 5.9% 11 6.2%   6 FLORENCE 6.0% 6.2% 9 4.2% 19 RUSK 4.9% 5.0% 26 4.3% 44 FOND DU LAC 3.8% 5.1% 20 3.2% 67 SAUK 3.0% 3.0% 69 2.4% 16 FOREST 4.9% 6.1% 10 3.5% 60 SAWYER 3.4% 3.7% 63 3.0% 33 GRANT 4.1% 4.1% 51 3.8% 27 SHAWANO 4.2% 4.6% 36 4.4% 30 GREEN 4.1% 4.7% 30 3.4% 42 SHEBOYGAN 4.0% 4.2% 49 3.2% 40 GREEN LAKE 4.0% 4.3% 44 3.4% 10 ST. CROIX 5.4% 5.7% 12 3.1%   65 IOWA 3.1% 3.3% 67 2.7% 63 TAYLOR 3.2% 3.7% 62 2.7% 14 IRON 5.1% 5.5% 16 4.0% 47 TREMPEALEAU 3.8% 4.3% 42 3.4% 66 JACKSON 3.0% 3.4% 65 3.2% 46 VERNON 3.8% 4.5% 38 3.5% 56 JEFFERSON 3.5% 3.8% 60 3.2% 71 VILAS 2.6% 2.8% 71 2.6% 2 JUNEAU 6.9% 8.3% 2 7.6% 52 WALWORTH 3.6% 4.0% 54 3.3% 20 KENOSHA 4.8% 5.3% 19 4.1% 35 WASHBURN 4.0% 4.6% 34 3.9%   15 KEWAUNEE 5.0% 5.4% 18 3.6% 41 WASHINGTON 4.0% 4.2% 48 3.2% 61 LA CROSSE 3.3% 3.9% 57 3.1% 50 WAUKESHA 3.7% 4.0% 55 3.1% 13 LAFAYETTE 5.2% 5.6% 14 3.8% 31 WAUPACA 4.1% 4.6% 35 3.6% 5 LANGLADE 6.0% 7.2% 3 6.2% 25 WAUSHARA 4.2% 5.1% 21 3.4% 21 LINCOLN 4.5% 5.6% 13 3.7% 32 WINNEBAGO 4.1% 4.2% 50 3.2% 18 MANITOWOC 4.9% 5.1% 23 4.4% 24 WOOD 4.2% 5.4% 17 3.3%

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Bureau of Labor Market Information and Customer Service

---

 

WISCONSIN CITIES Unemployment Rates August 2002 (Not Seasonally Adjusted) RANK CITY RATE LAST RATE LAST RANK YR  AGO RATE             6 APPLETON CITY 5.9% 6.4% 8 4.1% 2 BELOIT CITY 8.6% 9.7% 2 8.7% 26 BROOKFIELD CITY 3.3% 3.6% 26 2.6% 21 EAU CLAIRE CITY 4.1% 4.9% 18 4.2% 14 FOND DU LAC CITY 4.9% 7.0% 5 4.3% 20 FRANKLIN CITY 4.2% 4.6% 22 3.4%   4 GREEN BAY CITY 6.4% 6.9% 6 5.3% 24 GREENFIELD CITY 3.7% 3.7% 25 2.9% 10 JANESVILLE CITY 5.5% 5.7% 13 6.6% 8 KENOSHA CITY 5.8% 6.4% 7 5.1% 19 LA CROSSE CITY 4.4% 5.1% 16 4.1% 28 MADISON CITY 2.5% 2.7% 28 2.0%   7 MANITOWOC CITY 5.9% 6.4% 9 5.6% 27 MENOMONEE FALLS CITY 3.3% 3.4% 27 2.8% 3 MILWAUKEE CITY 8.6% 9.5% 3 7.6% 9 NEENAH CITY 5.8% 6.0% 11 4.8% 25 NEW BERLIN CITY 3.3% 3.7% 24 3.0% 17 OAK CREEK CITY 4.6% 4.8% 19 4.2%   18 OSHKOSH CITY 4.6% 4.8% 20 3.6% 1 RACINE CITY 10.0% 11.2% 1 10.3% 16 SHEBOYGAN CITY 4.8% 5.1% 17 3.8% 11 STEVENS POINT CITY 5.2% 7.1% 4 4.2% 23 SUPERIOR CITY 3.7% 4.7% 21 3.8% 12 WAUKESHA CITY 5.2% 5.8% 12 4.5% 15 WAUSAU CITY 4.8% 5.3% 15 3.8% 22 WAUWATOSA CITY 3.8% 3.9% 23 3.4% 13 WEST ALLIS CITY 5.1% 5.6% 14 3.8% 5 WEST BEND CITY 6.0% 6.1% 10 4.2%

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Bureau of Labor Market Information and Customer Service

---

WISCONSIN LABOR FORCE SUMMARY IN THOUSANDS         Net Change From ITEM Prelim. Sept. 2002 Final  Aug.   2002 Year Ago Sept. 2001 Month Ago  Year Ago              PLACE OF RESIDENCE DATA               CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE 3050.2 3091.3 2980.8 -41.1 69.4   UNEMPLOYMENT 130.6 147.2 112.4 -16.6 18.2   UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 4.3 4.8 3.8 -0.5 0.5   EMPLOYMENT (1) 2919.6 2944.1 2868.5 -24.5 51.1             PLACE OF WORK DATA           NONFARM WAGE & SALARY 2856.1 2852.5 2841 3.6 15.1   MANUFACTURING 572.2 577.3 585 -5.1 -12.8   DURABLE GOODS 339.2 341.9 350.5 -2.7 -11.3      Lumber and Wood Products 32.7 33.3 32.6 -0.6 0.1      Furniture and Fixtures 20 20.2 18.9 -0.2 1.1      Stone, Clay & Glass Products 11.9 12.1 11.7 -0.2 0.2      Primary Metal Industries 22.7 22.6 23.5 0.1 -0.8      Fabricated Metal Products 62.2 62.8 63 -0.6 -0.8      Nonelectrical Machinery 93.8 94.3 100.4 -0.5 -6.6      Electrical Machinery 37.4 37.6 41.7 -0.2 -4.3      Transportation Equipment 30.6 30.6 30.3 0.0 0.3      Prof., Scient. & Control      Instruments 17.4 17.6 17.1 -0.2 0.3      Miscellaneous Manufacturing 10.6 10.9 11.3 -0.3 -0.7               NONDURABLE GOODS 233 235.4 234.5 -2.4 -1.5      Food and Kindred Products 70.8 71.3 70.1 -0.5 0.7      Textile Mill Products 2.3 2.3 2.3 0.0 0.0      Apparel & Other Finished      Products 5.4 5.6 5.7 -0.2 -0.3      Paper and Allied Products 50.2 51 50.8 -0.8 -0.6      Printing, Publishing & Allied 51 51.4 51.6 -0.4 -0.6      Chemicals and Allied Products 15 15 15.1 0.0 -0.1      Rubber & Misc. Plastic      Products 35.4 35.9 35.8 -0.5 -0.4      Leather & Leather Products 2.5 2.6 2.7 -0.1 -0.2      All Other Nondurable Goods 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.0 0.0               MINING 3.1 3.2 3.1 -0.1 0.0   CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION 132.6 135.8 129.8 -3.2 2.8   TRANS, COMM, ELEC, GAS &   SAN. SERV. 133.2 129.8 134.4 3.4 -1.2   TRADE 645.9 653.3 643.9 -7.4 2.0      WHOLESALE TRADE 137.2 138.4 137.5 -1.2 -0.3      RETAIL TRADE 508.7 514.9 506.4 -6.2 2.3   FINANCE, INSURANCE & REAL   ESTATE 153.6 154.7 150.8 -1.1 2.8   SERVICES AND MISCELLANEOUS 809.4 813.3 782.3 -3.9 27.1   GOVERNMENT 406.1 385 411.7 21.1 -5.6      FEDERAL 30.2 30.3 30.1 -0.1 0.1      STATE 98.9 95.3 101.5 3.6 -2.6      LOCAL 277 259.4 280.1 17.6 -3.1               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 3065.8 3060.6 2991.3 5.2 74.5   UNEMPLOYMENT 154.9 160.0 134.5 -5.1 20.4       UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 5.1 5.2 4.5 -0.1 0.6   EMPLOYMENT 2910.9 2900.6 2856.9 10.3 54.0   NONFARM WAGE & SALARY 2837.4 2838.9 2822.5 -1.5 14.9

News Release Index Page