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Wednesday, November 20, 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
  
Contact: Terry Ludeman, 608/267-3262
Chris Marschman, 608/261-6705

OCTOBER LOCAL EMPLOYMENT FIGURES RELEASED

MADISON – Forty of Wisconsin’s seventy-two counties saw some decrease in their October unemployment rates, twenty-one counties experienced an increase and eleven saw no change from September in figures released today by the Department of Workforce Development.

"Thirty-nine Wisconsin counties reported rates last month equal to or lower than they reported in October 2001," said DWD Secretary Jennifer Alexander. "In October, forty Wisconsin counties had rates of 4.0 percent or less and six had rates under 3.0 percent," she said.

Dane County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.1 percent. Buffalo and Iowa counties were the next lowest at 2.6 percent. Three counties in the state had 7.0 percent or higher unemployment rates including Juneau County at 7.0 percent, Florence County at 8.0 percent and Menominee County at 11.5 percent.

Many of the counties in the west central and southwestern areas of the state have experienced very low unemployment rates in the last few months. This includes Buffalo, Crawford, Dunn, Eau Claire, Iowa, Jackson, La Crosse, Pepin and Trempealeau counties. Among these counties, only Pepin and Trempealeau have experienced a 4.0 percent or higher unemployment rate since June.

Metropolitan Statistical Areas of the state, particularly in the southeastern part of the state continue to experience very sluggish labor markets. Racine reported a 6.9 percent seasonally adjusted rate for October, Milwaukee had a 5.2 percent seasonally adjusted rate, Kenosha had a 5.2 percent seasonally adjusted rate, and Janesville/Beloit had a 5.4 percent seasonally adjusted rate.

The greatest improvement over last year’s figure was experienced in Dodge County, where the 2001 rate was reported at 6.2 percent and the 2002 rate was reported at 4.1 percent. Juneau County also saw considerable improvement. Juneau County’s October 2001 rate was 8.4 percent, while the 2002 October rate was 7.0 percent. The greatest deterioration was experienced in Florence County, which went from 5.2 percent in October of 2001 to 8.0 percent in October of 2002. Lafayette County also saw a substantial increase over the year, 4.0 percent in 2001 and 5.6 percent in 2002.

(end)


 Employment and Labor Force
Household Survey

Unadjusted estimates

Oct. 2002

Sept. 2002

Oct. 2001

Total labor force

3,054,200

3,049,300

2,993,000

Employed

2,928,200

2,918,500

2,870,800

Unemployed

126,000

130,700

122,200

Wis. Unemployment Rate

4.1%

4.3%

4.1%

U.S. Unemployment Rate

5.3%

5.4%

5.0%

 

Seasonably adjusted

Oct. 2002

Sept. 2002

Oct. 2001

Total labor force

3,069,000

3,065,000

2,999,800

Employed

2,919,400

2,909,800

2,857,500

Unemployed

149,600

155,100

142,300

Wis. Unemployment

4.9%

5.1%

4.7%

U.S. Unemployment

5.7%

5.6%

5.4%

 


 

Oct.
State Rank

*Sept.
Area Rank


Unemployment
% seasonally adjusted

Oct.
2002

Sept.
2002

Oct.
2001

25th

Wisconsin

4.9

5.1

4.7

105th

Appleton-Oshkosh

4.5

4.9

4.1

64th

Eau Claire

4.5

4.8

5.0

86th

Green Bay

4.6

4.6

4.2

214th

Janesville-Beloit

5.4

6.1

6.2

158th

Kenosha

5.2

5.4

5.4

33rd

La Crosse

3.8

3.9

3.8

7th

Madison

2.5

2.6

2.2

197th

Milwaukee-Waukesha

5.2

5.4

5.0

275th

Racine

6.9

6.9

7.5

86th

Sheboygan

4.2

4.4

4.5

44th

Wausau

4.3

4.4

4.0

  • 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 October 2002 Unemployment Rates by County

WISCONSIN COUNTIES
Unemployment Rates
October 2002
Not Seasonally Adjusted)
   

 

COUNTY        

RATE  LAST 
RATE 
LAST 
RANK 
YR  
 AGO 
RATE 
     RANK  

COUNTY

RATE  LAST 
RATE 
LAST 
RANK 
YR   
 AGO 
RATE 
  

46

ADAMS

3.7%

3.2%

64

3.6%

60

MARATHON

3.2%

3.4%

59

3.0%

10

ASHLAND

5.5%

5.9%

7

4.9%

12

MARINETTE

5.0%

5.3%

11

5.1%

36

BARRON

4.0%

4.0%

36

3.8%

8

MARQUETTE

5.8%

5.3%

13

5.8%

50

BAYFIELD

3.6%

3.6%

52

3.7%

1

MENOMINEE

11.5%

10.2%

1

10.4%

37

BROWN

4.0%

4.0%

37

3.7%

6

MILWAUKEE

5.9%

6.2%

4

5.7%

71

BUFFALO

2.6%

2.7%

69

3.4%

30

MONROE

4.1%

4.1%

32

5.2%

  

38

BURNETT

4.0%

3.7%

50

4.2%

7

OCONTO

5.9%

5.9%

8

5.9%

52

CALUMET

3.5%

3.9%

43

4.1%

18

ONEIDA

4.7%

4.8%

19

3.4%

25

CHIPPEWA

4.2%

4.2%

25

4.4%

33

OUTAGAMIE

4.0%

4.4%

22

3.5%

27

CLARK

4.2%

4.1%

33

4.6%

58

OZAUKEE

3.2%

3.5%

54

3.1%

23

COLUMBIA

4.3%

4.0%

42

4.0%

55

PEPIN

3.4%

3.5%

56

3.6%

61

CRAWFORD

3.2%

3.2%

63

3.1%

44

PIERCE

3.7%

3.8%

47

3.1%

  

72

DANE

2.1%

2.3%

72

1.9%

24

POLK

4.2%

4.4%

23

4.1%

32

DODGE

4.1%

4.0%

39

6.2%

65

PORTAGE

3.0%

3.4%

57

3.0%

69

DOOR

2.7%

2.7%

70

3.1%

41

PRICE

3.8%

4.0%

34

3.6%

47

DOUGLAS

3.6%

3.8%

44

4.3%

4

RACINE

6.0%

6.2%

5

6.6%

67

DUNN

2.8%

2.9%

68

3.0%

40

RICHLAND

3.9%

3.6%

53

3.2%

59

EAU CLAIRE

3.2%

3.4%

58

3.7%

11

ROCK

5.0%

5.4%

10

5.7%

  

2

FLORENCE

8.0%

6.7%

3

5.2%

21

RUSK

4.4%

4.9%

15

4.8%

45

FOND DU LAC

3.7%

3.8%

48

3.8%

64

SAUK

3.1%

3.0%

66

2.9%

15

FOREST

5.0%

4.8%

20

4.0%

56

SAWYER

3.4%

3.4%

60

3.3%

51

GRANT

3.5%

4.1%

28

3.3%

22

SHAWANO

4.3%

4.2%

27

4.6%

43

GREEN

3.7%

4.1%

29

4.4%

39

SHEBOYGAN

3.9%

4.0%

35

4.1%

31

GREEN LAKE

4.1%

4.0%

38

4.3%

16

ST. CROIX

4.8%

5.4%

9

3.8%

  

70

IOWA

2.6%

3.1%

65

2.6%

66

TAYLOR

3.0%

3.2%

62

2.9%

17

IRON

4.8%

5.0%

14

4.4%

48

TREMPEALEAU

3.6%

3.8%

45

3.6%

62

JACKSON

3.2%

3.0%

67

3.4%

49

VERNON

3.6%

3.8%

46

3.5%

57

JEFFERSON

3.3%

3.5%

55

3.5%

68

VILAS

2.8%

2.6%

71

2.8%

3

JUNEAU

7.0%

6.9%

2

8.4%

53

WALWORTH

3.5%

3.6%

51

3.6%

19

KENOSHA

4.6%

4.8%

18

4.9%

28

WASHBURN

4.2%

4.0%

40

4.2%

  

13

KEWAUNEE

5.0%

4.9%

16

3.5%

29

WASHINGTON

4.2%

4.0%

41

3.5%

63

LA CROSSE

3.1%

3.3%

61

3.0%

54

WAUKESHA

3.4%

3.7%

49

3.4%

9

LAFAYETTE

5.6%

5.3%

12

4.0%

34

WAUPACA

4.0%

4.1%

30

4.4%

5

LANGLADE

6.0%

6.1%

6

6.6%

26

WAUSHARA

4.2%

4.2%

26

4.7%

20

LINCOLN

4.5%

4.5%

21

4.1%

35

WINNEBAGO

4.0%

4.1%

31

3.5%

14

MANITOWOC

5.0%

4.9%

17

4.8%

42

WOOD

3.7%

4.2%

24

3.3%

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


 

WISCONSIN CITIES
Unemployment Rates
October 2002
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)

RANK

CITY

RATE LAST
RATE

LAST
RANK

YR  AGO
RATE
           

9

APPLETON CITY

5.5%

5.9%

6

4.5%

2

BELOIT CITY

8.2%

8.6%

2

9.1%

25

BROOKFIELD CITY

3.2%

3.4%

25

2.9%

22

EAU CLAIRE CITY

3.7%

4.1%

21

4.3%

14

FOND DU LAC CITY

4.9%

4.9%

14

4.9%

20

FRANKLIN CITY

4.0%

4.2%

20

3.6%

  

4

GREEN BAY CITY

6.5%

6.4%

4

5.9%

24

GREENFIELD CITY

3.4%

3.7%

23

3.1%

11

JANESVILLE CITY

5.0%

5.5%

10

5.3%

8

KENOSHA CITY

5.6%

5.8%

8

6.2%

19

LA CROSSE CITY

4.3%

4.4%

19

4.1%

28

MADISON CITY

2.3%

2.5%

28

2.2%

  

5

MANITOWOC CITY

6.1%

5.9%

7

5.8%

27

MENOMONEE FALLS CITY

3.1%

3.3%

26

3.2%

3

MILWAUKEE CITY

8.2%

8.6%

3

7.9%

6

NEENAH CITY

5.8%

5.8%

9

5.3%

26

NEW BERLIN CITY

3.2%

3.3%

27

3.2%

17

OAK CREEK CITY

4.3%

4.6%

17

4.6%

  

18

OSHKOSH CITY

4.3%

4.6%

18

4.0%

1

RACINE CITY

9.9%

10.0%

1

10.6%

10

SHEBOYGAN CITY

5.1%

4.8%

16

5.3%

16

STEVENS POINT CITY

4.4%

5.2%

11

4.3%

23

SUPERIOR CITY

3.5%

3.7%

24

4.2%

13

WAUKESHA CITY

4.9%

5.2%

12

4.8%

15

WAUSAU CITY

4.5%

4.8%

15

4.2%

21

WAUWATOSA CITY

3.8%

3.8%

22

3.7%

12

WEST ALLIS CITY

5.0%

5.1%

13

4.4%

7

WEST BEND CITY

5.6%

6.0%

5

4.7%

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


WISCONSIN LABOR FORCE SUMMARY
IN THOUSANDS

        Net Change From
ITEM Prelim.
Oct.
2002
Final 
Sept.
  2002
Year Ago
Oct.
2001
Month
Ago 
Year
Ago 
           
PLACE OF RESIDENCE DATA          
 
  CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE

3054.2

3049.3

2993.0

4.9

61.2

  UNEMPLOYMENT

126.0

130.7

122.2

-4.7

3.8

  UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

4.1

4.3

4.1

-0.2

0.0

  EMPLOYMENT (1)

2928.2

2918.5

2870.8

9.7

57.4

           
PLACE OF WORK DATA          
NONFARM WAGE & SALARY

2868.3

2854.3

2846.5

14.0

21.8

  MANUFACTURING

570.6

572.8

580

-2.2

-9.4

  DURABLE GOODS

339.4

339.8

347.6

-0.4

-8.2

     Lumber and Wood Products

32.7

32.7

32.2

0.0

0.5

     Furniture and Fixtures

20.3

20.3

18.7

0.0

1.6

     Stone, Clay & Glass Products

12.1

11.8

11.7

0.3

0.4

     Primary Metal Industries

22.6

22.8

23.5

-0.2

-0.9

     Fabricated Metal Products

61.8

62.2

62.5

-0.4

-0.7

     Nonelectrical Machinery

93.8

94

100.1

-0.2

-6.3

     Electrical Machinery

37.3

37.4

40.5

-0.1

-3.2

     Transportation Equipment

30.6

30.7

29.3

-0.1

1.3

     Prof., Scient. & Control
     Instruments

17.5

17.4

17.1

0.1

0.4

     Miscellaneous Manufacturing

10.8

10.6

12.1

0.2

-1.3

           
  NONDURABLE GOODS

231.2

233.1

232.4

-1.9

-1.2

     Food and Kindred Products

69.7

71

68.1

-1.3

1.6

     Textile Mill Products

2.3

2.3

2.3

0.0

0.0

     Apparel & Other Finished
     Products

5.3

5.4

5.5

-0.1

-0.2

     Paper and Allied Products

50.3

50.3

50.5

0.0

-0.2

     Printing, Publishing & Allied

50.9

50.9

51.9

0.0

-1.0

     Chemicals and Allied Products

15

15

15.2

0.0

-0.2

     Rubber & Misc. Plastic
     Products

34.8

35.3

35.7

-0.5

-0.9

     Leather & Leather Products

2.5

2.5

2.7

0.0

-0.2

     All Other Nondurable Goods

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.0

0.0

           
  MINING

3.1

3.1

3.2

0.0

-0.1

  CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION

130.9

132.5

129.4

-1.6

1.5

  TRANS, COMM, ELEC, GAS &
  SAN. SERV.

133

132.3

134.3

0.7

-1.3

  TRADE

647.9

645

645.8

2.9

2.1

     WHOLESALE TRADE

136.5

136.7

138.1

-0.2

-1.6

     RETAIL TRADE

511.3

508.4

507.7

2.9

3.6

  FINANCE, INSURANCE & REAL
  ESTATE

153.8

153.7

150.8

0.1

3.0

  SERVICES AND MISCELLANEOUS

804

808

778.6

-4.0

25.4

  GOVERNMENT

425

406.8

424.4

18.2

0.6

     FEDERAL

30.2

30

30.1

0.2

0.1

     STATE

103.8

99.3

104.5

4.5

-0.7

     LOCAL

290.9

277.5

289.7

13.4

1.2

           
  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

3069.0

3065.0

2999.8

4.0

69.2

  UNEMPLOYMENT

149.6

155.1

142.3

-5.5

7.3

      UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

4.9

5.1

4.7

-0.2

0.2

  EMPLOYMENT

2919.4

2909.8

2857.5

9.6

61.9

  NONFARM WAGE & SALARY

2840.2

2835.6

2818.2

4.6

22.0

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