MADISON - Unemployment rates in Green and Lafayette counties followed their typical slide in April, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' estimates released May 21 by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
If the annual pattern continues, both counties can expect a slight bump up in May, before rates settle again into a decline for the rest of the year.
April 2014 rates decreased in 70 of Wisconsin's 72 counties compared to rates in March 2014 and in April 2013.
Green County's April rate at 5.4 percent is one percentage point lower than it was in March at 6.4 percent and 1.1 point lower than 6.5 percent in April 2013.
Lafayette's April rate was 4.9 percent, 1.2 points below 6.1 percent in March and one percentage point below 5.9 percent in April 2013.
Wisconsin county unemployment rates for April 2014 ranged from 3.8 percent in Dane to 15.7 percent in Menominee.
Dane County dropped 0.6 points since 4.4 percent in March and 0.9 points since 4.7 percent in April 2013. Rock County came in at 6.9 percent, 0.9 points below 7.8 percent in March and 1.3 points below 8.2 percent in April 2013. Iowa's rate of 5.6 percent was 1.5 points below March at 7.1 percent and 1.7 points below 7.3 percent in April 2013.
Iron and Menominee rates increased over the month; Florence and Menominee rates increased over the year.
Local unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. Without seasonal adjustments, the state's unemployment rate was 5.9 percent, down 0.8 points from 6.7 percent in March and down 1.1 points from 7.0 percent in April 2013. The U.S. unadjusted rate was 5.9 percent, down from 6.8 percent in March and down from 7.1 percent in April 2013.
Green County lost 250 people from its workforce in March: 201 came off unemployment and 49 came off the employment list. The county still had about 360 more people in its force of more than 20,000 than it had a year ago, 550 more employed and 190 fewer unemployed.
Lafayette County took 100 people off the unemployed list and added 173 people to the employed, to create a labor force of 9,250, 72 more than in March. The county had 287 more people employed and 77 fewer unemployed, which resulted in a labor force of 210 more people than April 2013.
The state added 100 people to its workforce of three million in April, with 4,500 coming off the unemployed list and 4,600 coming onto the employed list. Compared to April 2013, Wisconsin had 5,800 more people in the workforce.
All 12 Metropolitan Statistical Areas showed decreased rates in April compared to rates in March 2014 and rates a year ago in April 2013. The April 2014 rates ranged from 4 percent in metro Madison to 7.4 percent in metro Racine. Janesville MSA rate was 6.9 percent. Compared to March, MSA rates were down 0.7 points in Madison and 0.9 points in Janesville. Compared to April 2013, the MSA rates were down 0.9 points in Madison and 1.3 points in Janesville.
Preliminary April 2014 rates decreased in all of Wisconsin's 32 largest municipalities from rates in March 2014, as well as rates in April 2013. April 2014 rates ranged from 3.1 percent in Caledonia to 10.2 percent in Racine. Madison was at 3.7 percent, down from 4.2 percent in March and 4.5 percent a year ago. Janesville was at 7.2 percent, down from 8 percent in March and 8.6 percent a year ago.
If the annual pattern continues, both counties can expect a slight bump up in May, before rates settle again into a decline for the rest of the year.
April 2014 rates decreased in 70 of Wisconsin's 72 counties compared to rates in March 2014 and in April 2013.
Green County's April rate at 5.4 percent is one percentage point lower than it was in March at 6.4 percent and 1.1 point lower than 6.5 percent in April 2013.
Lafayette's April rate was 4.9 percent, 1.2 points below 6.1 percent in March and one percentage point below 5.9 percent in April 2013.
Wisconsin county unemployment rates for April 2014 ranged from 3.8 percent in Dane to 15.7 percent in Menominee.
Dane County dropped 0.6 points since 4.4 percent in March and 0.9 points since 4.7 percent in April 2013. Rock County came in at 6.9 percent, 0.9 points below 7.8 percent in March and 1.3 points below 8.2 percent in April 2013. Iowa's rate of 5.6 percent was 1.5 points below March at 7.1 percent and 1.7 points below 7.3 percent in April 2013.
Iron and Menominee rates increased over the month; Florence and Menominee rates increased over the year.
Local unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. Without seasonal adjustments, the state's unemployment rate was 5.9 percent, down 0.8 points from 6.7 percent in March and down 1.1 points from 7.0 percent in April 2013. The U.S. unadjusted rate was 5.9 percent, down from 6.8 percent in March and down from 7.1 percent in April 2013.
Green County lost 250 people from its workforce in March: 201 came off unemployment and 49 came off the employment list. The county still had about 360 more people in its force of more than 20,000 than it had a year ago, 550 more employed and 190 fewer unemployed.
Lafayette County took 100 people off the unemployed list and added 173 people to the employed, to create a labor force of 9,250, 72 more than in March. The county had 287 more people employed and 77 fewer unemployed, which resulted in a labor force of 210 more people than April 2013.
The state added 100 people to its workforce of three million in April, with 4,500 coming off the unemployed list and 4,600 coming onto the employed list. Compared to April 2013, Wisconsin had 5,800 more people in the workforce.
All 12 Metropolitan Statistical Areas showed decreased rates in April compared to rates in March 2014 and rates a year ago in April 2013. The April 2014 rates ranged from 4 percent in metro Madison to 7.4 percent in metro Racine. Janesville MSA rate was 6.9 percent. Compared to March, MSA rates were down 0.7 points in Madison and 0.9 points in Janesville. Compared to April 2013, the MSA rates were down 0.9 points in Madison and 1.3 points in Janesville.
Preliminary April 2014 rates decreased in all of Wisconsin's 32 largest municipalities from rates in March 2014, as well as rates in April 2013. April 2014 rates ranged from 3.1 percent in Caledonia to 10.2 percent in Racine. Madison was at 3.7 percent, down from 4.2 percent in March and 4.5 percent a year ago. Janesville was at 7.2 percent, down from 8 percent in March and 8.6 percent a year ago.