Highlights from 1st quarter employment, wage numbers
Jobs data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages is based on a census of 95-96 percent of Wisconsin employers.
The latest available quarterly data covers the first three months of 2013 (Jan.-Mar.).
Key highlights of this data, which was submitted last week to the Bureau of Labor statistics, include:
n Wisconsin added 24,124 private-sector jobs from March 2012 to March 2013. This represents 15,524 more private sector jobs than previous estimates showed for the state.
n The net job gain from March 2012 to March 2013 includes an increase of more than 3,500 construction jobs, which represents a 4.4 percent jump. During 2011-12, Wisconsin had the largest growth in construction jobs in 13 years.
n Wages by covered private-sector employers grew by 2.5 percent year over year.
n Actual job counts through March 2013 are in line with gains made in 2011-12.
n Wisconsin added over 62,000 private sector jobs in 2011-12, following the loss of about 134,000 private sector jobs during the previous four years. The private sector job gains are the best two-year gains in more than a decade.
n Based on annual averages, Wisconsin's two-year, total job growth was the best in over a decade. Wisconsin created more manufacturing jobs in the last two years than in either of the last two governors' terms.
Other indicators illustrating the state of Wisconsin's economy:
n Department of Revenue state revenue collections through June are up by 4.4 percent in fiscal year 2013.
n Department of Financial Institutions new business formation is up 2.9 percent through June compared to the first six months of 2012.
n Initial and weekly DWD Unemployment Insurance claims have declined this calendar year.
n Wisconsin's exports set a record in calendar year 2012.
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Report released Wednesday, Aug. 21.
Rates decreased or remained the same in 68 of 72 counties from June to July 2013.
The local counties were also among the 65 counties whose rates decreased or remained the same compared to July 2012.
Green and Lafayette's 2013 unemployment rates have been following their typical seasonal patterns, but are doing so below the 2012 and 2011 rates.
Green County dropped six-tenths of a percentage point to 5.8 percent in July, compared to 6.4 percent in June and eight-tenths compared to 6.6 percent a year ago.
Meanwhile, Lafayette kept its rate steady, compared to June, at 5.6 percent. The county is just one-tenth below 5.7 percent a year ago.
Both counties saw two-tenths of a percentage point increase in unemployment rates in June compared to May.
Some good news for Green County. Its labor force is now larger than it was in either July of 2010 or 2011, breaking out of the 19,000s range in June and adding an additional 140 people in July. About 245 more people were working - and 104 fewer people were drawing unemployment benefits - compared to June.
Lafayette County has not been so lucky. Its labor force has not rebounded and remains well below the labor force numbers of 2011 and 2012.
Lafayette's labor force dropped more than 3 percent in July, a loss of 300 people. About 280 fewer people were employed, and 20 people dropped off the unemployment list. Those two numbers, when taken together, indicate some people have simply dropped out of the work force.
The labor force is the total of estimated employed people and unemployed people drawing unemployment insurance; it does not include those not looking for work.
Green, Lafayette and most of the surrounding counties were in the upper quarter of Wisconsin counties with the lowest unemployment rates. Rock was in the bottom quarter.
Dane County was at 4.8 percent, down from 5.1 percent in June. Iowa was at 5.3 percent, down from 5.9 percent in June. Sauk was at 5.8 percent, down from 6.3 percent in June. Rock County unemployment was also down, from 8.5 in June to 7.9 in July.
Across Wisconsin, July 2013 unemployment rates ranged from 4.3 percent in St. Croix to 16.7 percent in Menominee.
Rates decreased or remained the same in 29 of Wisconsin's 32 largest municipalities from June 2013 to July 2013. Compared to July 2012, rates decreased or remained the same in 27 municipalities.
The City of Janesville came in at 8.5 percent, down from 9.0 percent in June 2013 and July 2012. Madison was at 5 percent, down slightly from June's rate of 5.1 percent and July 2012 rate of 5.3 percent.
July 2013 rates ranged from 4 percent in Caledonia to 12.3 percent in Racine.
Preliminary unemployment rates decreased in all 12 metropolitan statistical areas, compared to rates in June 2013 and July 2012. The rates ranged from 4.9 percent in metro Madison, down from 5.2 percent in June and 5.3 percent in July 2013, to 8.8 percent in metro Racine. Janesville MSA was at 7.9 percent, down from 8.5, mirroring the county's rate, and 8.6 percent a year ago.
Local statistics are not seasonally adjusted.
Without seasonal adjustments, Wisconsin's July rate was 6.8 percent, and the U.S. rate for July was 7.7 percent. Wisconsin's rate was 7 percent in June and 7.2 percent in July 2012. The U.S. Rate was 7.8 percent in June and 8.6 percent in July 2012.