MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has announced 3,043,700 total nonfarm jobs in the state, according to February 2025 preliminary estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Preliminary employment estimates for February 2025 showed Wisconsin’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.2% over last month, which is 0.9 percentage points below the national unemployment rate of 4.1%. The state’s labor force participation rate ticked down to 65.8% in February while the national rate decreased to 62.4%, marking Wisconsin’s participation rate 3.4 percentage points above the rest of the nation.
● Place of Residence Data: Wisconsin’s unemployment rate was 3.2% in February, 0.9 percentage points below the national rate of 4.1%. Wisconsin’s labor force decreased by 4,300 over the month but is up 15,200 over the year. The number of people employed decreased 5,300 over the month to 3,077,600 employed, but is up 3,700 over the year.
● Place of Work Data: Total nonfarm jobs decreased 6,200 over the month and increased 8,800 over the year to 3,043,700 jobs.
The DWD also released U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates of employment and unemployment statistics for metropolitan areas, major cities, and counties in Wisconsin for February 2025.
Green County (3.1 percent nonseasonably adjusted unemployment) was tied with five others near the top of the state. Calumet and Dane counties were each at 2.7 percent, up two-tenths of a percent from January 2025. Ozaukee and Sheboygan were next at 3.0 percent. Lafayette fell to nearly the middle of the pack — 28th out of 72 counties — at 3.8 percent, up four-tenths of a percent from the previous month.
In brief, the nonseasonally adjusted data for Wisconsin shows:
● Metropolitan Statistical Areas: Preliminary February 2025 unemployment rates increased between 0.1 and 0.3 percentage points in 12 of the 13 metropolitan areas over the month; the rate remained the same in one area over the month. The unemployment rates increased in all 13 metropolitan areas over the year.
● Municipalities: Preliminary February 2025 unemployment rates stayed the same in five of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities over the month; rates decreased in one city, La Crosse, over the month. Rates increased in the remaining 29 cities over the month. Rates increased in 33 cities over the year, remained the same in one city, Neenah, and decreased in La Crosse.
● Counties: Preliminary February 2025 unemployment rates decreased in 10 counties over the month, stayed the same in four counties, and increased in the remaining 58 counties. Unemployment rates decreased in four counties over the year, stayed the same in four counties, and increased in the remaining 64 counties.
For more information, go to wisconomy.com.