MONROE — Once again, Lafayette County and Green County have posted the lowest unemployment numbers in the state, placing first and second respectively in the most recent statistical release for Wisconsin.

Unemployment in Green County dropped from 3% in August to 2.6% in September, pushing the county from having the fourth lowest in the state to having the second lowest.

A year ago, the rate for Green held at 2.5%. 

Lafayette County’s rate was 2.7% in August, falling to 2.3% in September, keeping Lafayette County at the lowest unemployment rate statewide over two consecutive reporting periods. A year ago, the rate was 2.4%.

Statewide, Wisconsin’s total non-farm jobs hit another record high of 3,017,800. That is 34,500 more jobs than a year ago; and an increase of 8,300 over the previous month.

“Wisconsin’s robust economy continues to create jobs and our state’s labor participation rate keeps going up,” DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek said in a statement announcing the numbers. “At the Department of Workforce Development, we will continue preparing individuals with the skills needed for high-demand careers as we ease workforce barriers to strengthen families and the state’s economy.”

Other highlights from the department include:

●  Preliminary September 2023 unemployment rates declined in all 12 Wisconsin metro areas over the month; the rates increased in all 12 areas over the year

●  Preliminary September 2023 unemployment rates declined in Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities over the month; the rates increased in all 35 cities over the year

●  Preliminary September 2023 unemployment rates decreased in 71 counties and was unchanged in one Wisconsin county over the month, and decreased in one of 72 Wisconsin counties over the year.

One of the major factors needed to keep unemployment low in Wisconsin going forward are efforts to create more and affordable child care across the state, according to Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.

He has urged the state and its Workforce Development partners to invest as much as $1 billion in child care efforts to help keep pace with job growth and to plug a hole left when a major child care program, Child Care Counts, lost the bulk of its federal funding through the American Rescue Plan.

“We need ongoing sustainable state investments to solve our child care crisis and the workforce challenges that have plagued our state for a decade,” Evers said, in a recent statement.