MONROE - Local monthly unemployment rates were up in January, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) preliminary data released March 14 by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD).
Green County's rate rose 1.6 percentage to 7.4 percent unemployment one month after ending the 2011 year at 5.8 percent.
Lafayette County's unemployment saw an increase of 1.5 percentage points and settled at a rate of 6.5 percent. The county had ended 2011 at 5 percent.
County unemployment numbers are not seasonally adjusted. The state unadjusted rate was 7.6 percent, up from 6.6 percent in December 2011, but below the 8.5 percent in January 2011.
According to the DWD, an unadjusted rate increase is typical for the December-to-January period.
Indeed, in four of the past five years, 2008-2012, January unemployment rates in Green and Lafayette counties rose about 1.5 percentage points over the previous Decembers. In January 2009, each county's rate increased about 2.5 percent.
Trending, neither county, since December 2008, has seen December unemployment rates as low as they were in 2011, and their recent January rates are the lowest in three years.
Seventy-one Wisconsin counties had higher rates in January 2012 than December 2011; only Florence County saw a slight drop. Dane County had the lowest rate at 4.9 percent, after a 0.5 point increase. Rock County had 9.4 percent, after a 1.1 point increase. Iowa County's rate went to 7.9 percent, after a 2.3 point increase. Door County had the highest rate at 13.5 percent, up 2 points.
Seventy Wisconsin counties experienced a drop in their unemployment rates over the year as of January 2012, according to the BLS preliminary data. Bayfield and Iron counties experienced increases.
Green County's unemployment rate is 0.9 percentage points lower than a year ago; January 2011 was 8.3 percent. Lafayette is 0.7 percentage point lower than January 2011, when it was 7.2 percent.
In the metro areas, Janesville's rate rose to 9.4 percent, up from 8.3 in December, but down from 10.8 percent in January 2011. Madison metro rose to 5.3 percent, up from 4.7 percent in December, but still lower than 5.9 percent from a year ago.
Even though unemployment rates rose in all 12 metro areas, Madison and Janesville were not among the seven metro areas that added jobs over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis. Madison lost about 6,000 jobs and Janesville lost 100. The job increases went to Appleton, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Wausau and metro Milwaukee, which includes Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.
Green County's rate rose 1.6 percentage to 7.4 percent unemployment one month after ending the 2011 year at 5.8 percent.
Lafayette County's unemployment saw an increase of 1.5 percentage points and settled at a rate of 6.5 percent. The county had ended 2011 at 5 percent.
County unemployment numbers are not seasonally adjusted. The state unadjusted rate was 7.6 percent, up from 6.6 percent in December 2011, but below the 8.5 percent in January 2011.
According to the DWD, an unadjusted rate increase is typical for the December-to-January period.
Indeed, in four of the past five years, 2008-2012, January unemployment rates in Green and Lafayette counties rose about 1.5 percentage points over the previous Decembers. In January 2009, each county's rate increased about 2.5 percent.
Trending, neither county, since December 2008, has seen December unemployment rates as low as they were in 2011, and their recent January rates are the lowest in three years.
Seventy-one Wisconsin counties had higher rates in January 2012 than December 2011; only Florence County saw a slight drop. Dane County had the lowest rate at 4.9 percent, after a 0.5 point increase. Rock County had 9.4 percent, after a 1.1 point increase. Iowa County's rate went to 7.9 percent, after a 2.3 point increase. Door County had the highest rate at 13.5 percent, up 2 points.
Seventy Wisconsin counties experienced a drop in their unemployment rates over the year as of January 2012, according to the BLS preliminary data. Bayfield and Iron counties experienced increases.
Green County's unemployment rate is 0.9 percentage points lower than a year ago; January 2011 was 8.3 percent. Lafayette is 0.7 percentage point lower than January 2011, when it was 7.2 percent.
In the metro areas, Janesville's rate rose to 9.4 percent, up from 8.3 in December, but down from 10.8 percent in January 2011. Madison metro rose to 5.3 percent, up from 4.7 percent in December, but still lower than 5.9 percent from a year ago.
Even though unemployment rates rose in all 12 metro areas, Madison and Janesville were not among the seven metro areas that added jobs over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis. Madison lost about 6,000 jobs and Janesville lost 100. The job increases went to Appleton, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Wausau and metro Milwaukee, which includes Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.