MONROE - Unemployment rates in both Green County and Lafayette County fell 0.6 percentage point in April compared to March, according to preliminary estimates of unemployment rates released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That leaves Green County at 6.8 percent, just 0.2 percentage point above the rate in April 2012. Lafayette County, at 6.1 percent, is still 0.9 percentage point above a year ago.
Rock County unemployment also dropped 0.6 percentage point last month to 8.5 percent from 9.1 percent in March, and still up 0.3 percentage point from April 2012.
Iowa County slid 1.3 percentage points, falling from 8.9 in March to 7.6 in April, but still 1.7 percentage points above 5.9 percent from April 2012.
Dane County, with the lowest rate in the state at 4.9 percent in April, was down 0.2 percentage point from 5.1 percent the previous month, and remains 0.4 percentage point above a year ago.
Of Wisconsin's 72 counties, all but five had a rate decrease between March and April. Iron and Langlade counties had no change; Calumet, Menominee and Price had a rate increase. Unemployment rates ranged from 4.9 percent in Dane to 15.6 percent in Menominee.
Preliminary unemployment rates decreased in all 12 metro areas between March and April. The April rates ranged from 5.2 percent in metro Madison, down 0.2 percentage point, to 9.0 percent in metro Racine, down 0.8 percentage point. Madison metro area is still 0.5 percentage points above 4.7 percent from April 2012.
Janesville metro area ranked just above Racine metro, with 8.5 percent unemployment. That's down 0.6 percentage points from 9.1 in March 2013, and 0.3 percentage point above 8.2 percent in April 2012.
Of 32 municipalities with at least 25,000 residents, all had a rate decrease between March and April, except Fitchburg and Madison, which had no change. Rates ranged from 3.8 percent in Caledonia to 12.2 percent in Racine. Madison remained at 4.7 percent and still above 4.4 percent in April 2012. Janesville unemployment dropped 0.6 percentage point, landing at 9.0 for April 2013, and just 0.1 percentage point from April 2013.
Local unemployment numbers are not seasonally adjusted. Wisconsin's unadjusted unemployment rate for April 2013 was 7.2 percent, down from 7.7 percent in March and 6.8 percent in April 2012. The U.S. unadjusted unemployment rate for April was 7.1 percent, down from 7.6 percent in March and down from 7.7 percent in April 2012.
That leaves Green County at 6.8 percent, just 0.2 percentage point above the rate in April 2012. Lafayette County, at 6.1 percent, is still 0.9 percentage point above a year ago.
Rock County unemployment also dropped 0.6 percentage point last month to 8.5 percent from 9.1 percent in March, and still up 0.3 percentage point from April 2012.
Iowa County slid 1.3 percentage points, falling from 8.9 in March to 7.6 in April, but still 1.7 percentage points above 5.9 percent from April 2012.
Dane County, with the lowest rate in the state at 4.9 percent in April, was down 0.2 percentage point from 5.1 percent the previous month, and remains 0.4 percentage point above a year ago.
Of Wisconsin's 72 counties, all but five had a rate decrease between March and April. Iron and Langlade counties had no change; Calumet, Menominee and Price had a rate increase. Unemployment rates ranged from 4.9 percent in Dane to 15.6 percent in Menominee.
Preliminary unemployment rates decreased in all 12 metro areas between March and April. The April rates ranged from 5.2 percent in metro Madison, down 0.2 percentage point, to 9.0 percent in metro Racine, down 0.8 percentage point. Madison metro area is still 0.5 percentage points above 4.7 percent from April 2012.
Janesville metro area ranked just above Racine metro, with 8.5 percent unemployment. That's down 0.6 percentage points from 9.1 in March 2013, and 0.3 percentage point above 8.2 percent in April 2012.
Of 32 municipalities with at least 25,000 residents, all had a rate decrease between March and April, except Fitchburg and Madison, which had no change. Rates ranged from 3.8 percent in Caledonia to 12.2 percent in Racine. Madison remained at 4.7 percent and still above 4.4 percent in April 2012. Janesville unemployment dropped 0.6 percentage point, landing at 9.0 for April 2013, and just 0.1 percentage point from April 2013.
Local unemployment numbers are not seasonally adjusted. Wisconsin's unadjusted unemployment rate for April 2013 was 7.2 percent, down from 7.7 percent in March and 6.8 percent in April 2012. The U.S. unadjusted unemployment rate for April was 7.1 percent, down from 7.6 percent in March and down from 7.7 percent in April 2012.