MONROE - Green and Lafayette counties are seeing the lowest unemployment rates in more than 20 months.
Green County's unemployment rate for September 2010 was 6.5 percent, down from 7.2 percent in August, according to Local Area Unemployment Statistics for September, released Wednesday by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
Lafayette County also saw improvement on the jobs front. Its September rate was 5.6 percent, down slightly from 6.3 percent in August.
Anna Schramke, Green County Economic Development coordinator, said she's heartened by the uptick but remains cautiously optimistic about the future.
"Last March (the unemployment rate) was terrible, and we hit bottom," she said. "But I think we are starting to come out of it."
Schramke said September normally has lower unemployment rates.
Rates tell only part of the story, she added. Part of Green County's lower rate this month is the result of a smaller work force. Almost 100 people - or about 0.5 percent of the August work force of 20,024 - left between August and September. Only 34 additional people found a job in Green County during September, bringing the county total of employed to 18,620.
About 1,300 Green County residents remain unemployed.
Businesses are being cautiously optimistic as well, though banks are telling them there is "plenty of money for a good project," Schramke said, adding that the Small Business Association also is working with employers on programs to refinance debt.
Still, businesses in general are trying to keep current liabilities paid and "don't have reserves to do other things," she said.
Schramke noted that Roth Kase, a cheese producer in Monroe, and local breweries are expanding. In addition, there is growth in metal manufacturing, and Monroe's Orchid Monroe LLC is building up its work force.
The last time Green County saw unemployment rates below 6 percent was in December 2008, when the rate was 5.7 percent. More than 20,700 people made up the work force that month - and about 19,600 of them had jobs.
The Lafayette County work force, meanwhile, gained more than 100 people in September, while the number of employed rose by 165 people. The total work force there is about 9,260, with about 8,740 employed. That leaves 522 unemployed.
The Lafayette County unemployment rate has not been below 5 percent since December 2008, when it was 4.9 percent. At that time, the work force was at about 8,900, with about 440 unemployed.
Statewide, unemployment rates improved in nearly every county in September. According to the DWD, unemployment rates improved in 71 of 72 counties; remained unchanged in one; and improved in 30 of the state's largest cities.
Wisconsin's seasonally adjusted unemployment in September was at 7.8 percent, down slightly from August.
County unemployment rates in September ranged from 5 percent in Dane County to 14.5 percent in Menominee County. Menominee County's unemployment was down from 20.5 percent the previous month.
Lafayette tied with Iowa County for 10th place, and Green County tied with Kewaunee and Columbia counties for the 26th spot.
Rock County came in second to last in the state, with 9.5 percent unemployment. Rock County's unemployment rate also dropped by nearly a percentage point in September, from 10.2 percent in August. Rock County unemployment has not been below 10 percent since December 2008, when it was 8.2 percent.
Of Wisconsin largest cities, Madison had the lowest unemployment rate at 5.1 percent. Beloit still has the highest unemployment of any city at 14.4 percent. That's down from 15.5 percent in August. Racine was second at 12.8 percent, followed by Wausau at 10.5 percent.
County and city rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Green County's unemployment rate for September 2010 was 6.5 percent, down from 7.2 percent in August, according to Local Area Unemployment Statistics for September, released Wednesday by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
Lafayette County also saw improvement on the jobs front. Its September rate was 5.6 percent, down slightly from 6.3 percent in August.
Anna Schramke, Green County Economic Development coordinator, said she's heartened by the uptick but remains cautiously optimistic about the future.
"Last March (the unemployment rate) was terrible, and we hit bottom," she said. "But I think we are starting to come out of it."
Schramke said September normally has lower unemployment rates.
Rates tell only part of the story, she added. Part of Green County's lower rate this month is the result of a smaller work force. Almost 100 people - or about 0.5 percent of the August work force of 20,024 - left between August and September. Only 34 additional people found a job in Green County during September, bringing the county total of employed to 18,620.
About 1,300 Green County residents remain unemployed.
Businesses are being cautiously optimistic as well, though banks are telling them there is "plenty of money for a good project," Schramke said, adding that the Small Business Association also is working with employers on programs to refinance debt.
Still, businesses in general are trying to keep current liabilities paid and "don't have reserves to do other things," she said.
Schramke noted that Roth Kase, a cheese producer in Monroe, and local breweries are expanding. In addition, there is growth in metal manufacturing, and Monroe's Orchid Monroe LLC is building up its work force.
The last time Green County saw unemployment rates below 6 percent was in December 2008, when the rate was 5.7 percent. More than 20,700 people made up the work force that month - and about 19,600 of them had jobs.
The Lafayette County work force, meanwhile, gained more than 100 people in September, while the number of employed rose by 165 people. The total work force there is about 9,260, with about 8,740 employed. That leaves 522 unemployed.
The Lafayette County unemployment rate has not been below 5 percent since December 2008, when it was 4.9 percent. At that time, the work force was at about 8,900, with about 440 unemployed.
Statewide, unemployment rates improved in nearly every county in September. According to the DWD, unemployment rates improved in 71 of 72 counties; remained unchanged in one; and improved in 30 of the state's largest cities.
Wisconsin's seasonally adjusted unemployment in September was at 7.8 percent, down slightly from August.
County unemployment rates in September ranged from 5 percent in Dane County to 14.5 percent in Menominee County. Menominee County's unemployment was down from 20.5 percent the previous month.
Lafayette tied with Iowa County for 10th place, and Green County tied with Kewaunee and Columbia counties for the 26th spot.
Rock County came in second to last in the state, with 9.5 percent unemployment. Rock County's unemployment rate also dropped by nearly a percentage point in September, from 10.2 percent in August. Rock County unemployment has not been below 10 percent since December 2008, when it was 8.2 percent.
Of Wisconsin largest cities, Madison had the lowest unemployment rate at 5.1 percent. Beloit still has the highest unemployment of any city at 14.4 percent. That's down from 15.5 percent in August. Racine was second at 12.8 percent, followed by Wausau at 10.5 percent.
County and city rates are not seasonally adjusted.