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Tony Evers, Governor
Amy Pechacek, Secretary-designee

Department of Workforce Development
Secretary's Office
201 E. Washington Avenue
P.O. Box 7946
Madison, WI 53707-7946
CommunicationsOffice@dwd.wisconsin.gov Telephone: (608) 266-3131
Fax: (608) 266-1784
Email: sec@dwd.wisconsin.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2023
CONTACT: DWD Communications
CommunicationsOffice@dwd.wisconsin.gov

BLS Data: Wisconsin Adds 4,100 Nonfarm Jobs in January, Statewide Unemployment Rate Falls to 2.9%

MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today released the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) preliminary employment estimates for the month of January 2023, which showed Wisconsin added 4,100 nonfarm jobs over the month and 55,800 jobs over the year.

The data also showed that Wisconsin's unemployment rate fell to 2.9% for January, down 0.1 percentage point from the revised 3% in December 2022. The state's labor force participation rate for January was 64.5%. Nationwide for the month of January, the unemployment rate was 3.4% with a labor force participation rate of 62.4%.

Place of Residence Data: Wisconsin's unemployment rate for December 2022 was adjusted lower – from the initially reported 3.2% to 3% – as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics completed its annual benchmarking to update the data underlying the unemployment rate model. Following the benchmarking process, the statewide unemployment rate just released for January 2023 was lower still, coming in 2.9%, 0.5 percentage points below the national rate for January of 3.4%. Following the benchmarking process, the statewide unemployment rate for February also will be released in March.
Place of Work Data: Over the year, Wisconsin added 55,800 nonfarm jobs, with gains of 9,300 manufacturing jobs, 8,100 leisure and hospitality jobs, and 5,400 construction jobs. Over the month for January, Wisconsin nonfarm jobs increased by 4,100.

"Wisconsin's historically low unemployment rate, combined with strong job growth across multiple sectors, continues to signal the vitality and resilience of our workforce and economy," said DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek. "While these numbers are incredibly positive, they also call out the need for continued efforts to remove employment barriers and equip workers with in-demand skills. DWD and its partners are hard at work on these strategies, building and strengthening Wisconsin's workforce for the 21st century and beyond."

Today's full report can be viewed on DWD's premier source for labor market information, WisConomy.com.

View Wisconsin Labor Force Summary

ABOUT DWD

Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development efficiently delivers effective and inclusive services to meet Wisconsin's diverse workforce needs now and for the future. The department advocates for and invests in the protection and economic advancement of all Wisconsin workers, employers, and job seekers through six divisions – Employment and Training, Vocational Rehabilitation, Unemployment Insurance, Equal Rights, Worker's Compensation, and Administrative Services. To keep up with DWD announcements and information, sign up for news releases and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.