MONROE - Unemployment rates in Green and Lafayette counties dropped more than the state and national averages last month, according to data released Wednesday from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
Lafayette County unemployment in April dropped to 5.8 percent, 1.3 percentage points from the March rate of 7.1, and 0.9 percentage points from a year ago.
Green County's rate dropped to 7.3 percent, 1 percentage point from 8.3 percent in March, and 1.4 percentage points from a year ago.
Rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Iron and Menominee counties were the only counties to see jumps in their unemployment rates. Menominee had the highest rate of any county in the state at 16.8 percent. Dane County had the lowest at 4.9 percent.
The state rate had a 0.7 point drop, from 8.1 percent in March to 7.4 percent in April. Seasonally adjusted state unemployment dropped slightly in April to 7.3 percent, compared to 7.4 percent in March and 8.8 percent from April 2010.
The national April unemployment rate also dipped by 0.5 percentage points, to 8.7 percent, but when seasonally adjusted, rose to 9 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from March.
The Associated Press reported all 31 of the state's major municipalities saw a drop in unemployment rates from March to April. Caledonia had the lowest rate at 3.5 percent, while Racine had the highest rate at 13.4 percent.
- Tere Dunlap and The Associated Press
Lafayette County unemployment in April dropped to 5.8 percent, 1.3 percentage points from the March rate of 7.1, and 0.9 percentage points from a year ago.
Green County's rate dropped to 7.3 percent, 1 percentage point from 8.3 percent in March, and 1.4 percentage points from a year ago.
Rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Iron and Menominee counties were the only counties to see jumps in their unemployment rates. Menominee had the highest rate of any county in the state at 16.8 percent. Dane County had the lowest at 4.9 percent.
The state rate had a 0.7 point drop, from 8.1 percent in March to 7.4 percent in April. Seasonally adjusted state unemployment dropped slightly in April to 7.3 percent, compared to 7.4 percent in March and 8.8 percent from April 2010.
The national April unemployment rate also dipped by 0.5 percentage points, to 8.7 percent, but when seasonally adjusted, rose to 9 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from March.
The Associated Press reported all 31 of the state's major municipalities saw a drop in unemployment rates from March to April. Caledonia had the lowest rate at 3.5 percent, while Racine had the highest rate at 13.4 percent.
- Tere Dunlap and The Associated Press