Department of Workforce Development

Wednesday, May 21, 2003 Governor Jim Doyle Secretary Roberta Gassman

News Media Contact Rose Lynch 608/266-6753 e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784

APRIL LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ANNOUNCED

Madison - Sixty-eight of Wisconsin’s 72 counties had lower unemployment rates in April than they experienced in March, while four had higher rates, according to information released today by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD).

Forty-four Wisconsin counties, and 19 of the state’s 28 largest cities, had lower unemployment rates last month than they had reported for last April.

“We are very encouraged to see such a widespread improvement in unemployment rates over one year ago and happy to see so many of the state’s large cities with improved rates over last month’s rates.” said DWD Secretary Roberta Gassman.

Dane County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.7 percent. La Crosse and Ozaukee had rates of 4.0 percent and Waukesha came in at 4.5 percent. Iron County, at 12.8 percent, had the state’s highest rate, followed by Menominee at 12.2 percent and Polk at 9.8 percent.

The figures reported for last month are normal for this time of the year, as spring workplace activities begin. The four counties where higher unemployment rates were recorded in April are generally northern counties.

Five of Wisconsin’s eleven metropolitan statistical areas had seasonally adjusted April unemployment rates below 5.0 percent. The Dane County Metropolitan Statistical Area had the State’s lowest seasonally adjusted rate at 2.7 percent, while Racine had the highest seasonally adjusted rate at 7.8 percent. All eleven metro areas had more jobs in April than they had recorded in March. Manufacturing continued to be weak throughout the State, although certainly the weakest in southeastern Wisconsin. The service producing industries were generally quite strong in most areas of the state. Statewide, the service producing industries were up 18,900 jobs from last year’s April figure and were up nearly 17,000 jobs from the March figure. The western side of the state continues to be faring quite well in the slower economy, while the state’s eastern counties and metro areas are having more pronounced difficulties.

The leisure and hospitality industry for the State began to show signs of a good spring and upcoming summer season, as 6,100 jobs were added to the state’s employment total. The Green Bay and Appleton/Oshkosh corridor appeared to have the best activity in this important industry. About 1,400 jobs were added to the sector’s job total between March and April reporting.

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 Employment and Labor Force
Household Survey

Unadjusted estimates	Apr. 2003	Mar. 2003	Apr. 2002
Total labor force	3,074,500	3,082,200	3,011,800
Employed	2,896,600	2,882,300	2,833,300
Unemployed	177,800	200,000	178,500
Wis. Unemployment Rate	5.8	6.5	5.9
U.S. Unemployment Rate	5.8	6.2	5.7

 

Seasonably adjusted	Apr. 2003	Mar. 2003	Apr. 2002
Total labor force	3,091,900	3,106,000	3,029,700
Employed	2,925,900	2,935,100	2,862,300
Unemployed	166,000	170,900	167,500
Wis. Unemployment	5.4	5.5	5.5
U.S. Unemployment	6.0	5.8	5.9

 

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Apr. State Rank *Mar.. Area Rank	Unemployment % seasonally adjusted	Apr. 2003	Mar. 2003	Apr. 2002
25th	Wisconsin	5.4	5.4	5.5
188th	Appleton-Oshkosh	4.8	4.8	5.0
249th	Eau Claire	5.1	5.0	5.9
179th	Green Bay	4.8	4.8	5.0
278th	Janesville-Beloit	6.9	7.1	7.6
249th	Kenosha	6.0	6.1	5.8
138th	La Crosse	4.1	4.0	4.5
12th	Madison	2.7	2.6	2.7
238th	Milwaukee-Waukesha	5.9	6.1	6.0
310th	Racine	7.8	7.9	7.5
156th	Sheboygan	5.0	4.8	5.3
238th	Wausau	4.6	4.7	4.9
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

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Maps of April 2003 Unemployment Rates by County

WISCONSIN COUNTIES Unemployment Rates April 2003 Not Seasonally Adjusted)     RANK  COUNTY RATE  LAST  RATE   LAST RANK YR    AGO  RATE   RANK  COUNTY RATE  LAST  RATE   LAST RANK YR    AGO  RATE        60 ADAMS 5.0% 6.8% 48 5.6% 63 MARATHON 4.9% 6.3% 56 5.3% 7 ASHLAND 9.6% 10.5% 8 11.9% 23 MARINETTE 7.5% 8.4% 27 8.1% 28 BARRON 7.2% 8.4% 26 7.2% 12 MARQUETTE 8.9% 11.4% 1 8.8% 13 BAYFIELD 8.8% 9.4% 18 10.1% 2 MENOMINEE 12.2% 11.2% 3 14.6% 61 BROWN 5.0% 5.7% 63 5.3% 32 MILWAUKEE 6.8% 7.1% 44 6.9% 56 BUFFALO 5.2% 6.4% 54 5.6% 65 MONROE 4.8% 6.1% 58 5.7%    46 BURNETT 6.1% 7.4% 38 8.0% 11 OCONTO 9.3% 10.4% 9 10.0% 67 CALUMET 4.8% 5.2% 68 5.3% 21 ONEIDA 7.7% 8.6% 25 8.2% 26 CHIPPEWA 7.3% 8.7% 24 8.8% 54 OUTAGAMIE 5.4% 6.1% 60 5.7% 14 CLARK 8.7% 10.5% 7 9.2% 71 OZAUKEE 4.0% 4.4% 71 4.1% 35 COLUMBIA 6.6% 7.9% 33 6.2% 40 PEPIN 6.4%