MADISON - Employment numbers are up, and unemployment numbers are down again in Green and Lafayette counties, rolling in with the majority of Wisconsin counties that had March unemployment rates not seen since 2008.
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development released the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' estimates of unemployment and employment statistics on Wednesday. The estimates include revisions for February 2014 and preliminary estimates for March 2014
The estimates show jobless rates decreased or remained the same in all but six of Wisconsin's 72 counties from February 2014 to March 2014. The March 2014 rates decreased or remained the same in all but three counties, compared to a year ago. The March 2014 rates ranged from 4.4 percent in Dane to 13.1 percent in Iron.
The Green County unemployment rate was down to 6.3 percent, dropping 0.3 percentage points from February's 6.6 percent. The March rate is 0.9 points lower than the 7.2 percent rate in March a year ago.
The county lost about 30 people from its workforce, but still managed to add 21 people to the 19,070-member employment list and lowered the unemployment number by 50 people to about 1,290, to create a workforce of about 20,360 people.
Lafayette fared even better than Green in adding workers to its force. The county upped its workforce by 50 people, adding 80 people to its employment list and subtracting 30 from the unemployment ranks.
In doing so, Lafayette lowered its unemployment rate by 0.3 points in March to reach 6.1 percent, compared to February. The rate is 0.6 points below March 2013.
Dane County was at 4.4 percent unemployment, down from 4.6 percent in February and down from 4.9 a year ago.
Green, Lafayette and Dane are among the 18 counties, one-fourth of Wisconsin's 72 counties, achieving the lowest rates.
Iowa County is still in the second quarter percentile, with 7.2 percent unemployment, down from 7.6 percent in February and 8.7 percent a year ago.
After seeing a high of 13.9 percent unemployment in March 2009, Rock County came in at 7.8 percent unemployment for March 2014, 0.6 points down from February and a full point from 8.8 percent in March 2013. The county has yet to reach the pre-2009 workforce level of 83,000, shy by about 2,000 people.
Local unemployment numbers are not seasonally adjusted.
In the City of Janesville, unemployment at 8 percent dropped a half-point compared to February's 8.5 percent and 1.4 points compared to 9.4 percent in March 2013.
Madison was at 4.2 percent, down from 4.4 percent in February and 4.6 percent a year ago.
March 2014 unemployment rates decreased in all but three of Wisconsin's 32 largest municipalities from February 2014 and decreased in all 32 municipalities when compared to March 2013 rates. March 2014 rates ranged from 3.6 percent in Caledonia to 11.8 percent in Racine.
Metropolitan Statistical Areas saw comparable drops also. March 2014 unemployment rates decreased in all 12 metro areas except Racine, which had no change, compared to rates in February 2014. All 12 metro areas had lower rates compared to rates in March 2013. The March 2014 rates ranged from 4.7 percent in metro Madison to 8.7 percent in metro Racine.
Janesville MSA was at 7.8 percent, down from 8.1 in February, and 8.8 percent a year ago. Madison MSA unemployment was down to 4.7 percent, after 4.9 percent in February and 5.2 percent in March 2013.
Without seasonal adjustments, Wisconsin March unemployment was at 6.7 percent, down from 7 percent in February and down from 7.5 percent in March 2013. The U.S. rate for March was 6.8 percent, down from 7 percent in February and down from 7.6 percent in March 2013.
The DWD reported initial weekly unemployment insurance claims for the first 14 weeks of 2014 in Wisconsin dropped to the lowest point since 2000, and the annual average weekly UI claims are at a 13-year low.
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development released the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' estimates of unemployment and employment statistics on Wednesday. The estimates include revisions for February 2014 and preliminary estimates for March 2014
The estimates show jobless rates decreased or remained the same in all but six of Wisconsin's 72 counties from February 2014 to March 2014. The March 2014 rates decreased or remained the same in all but three counties, compared to a year ago. The March 2014 rates ranged from 4.4 percent in Dane to 13.1 percent in Iron.
The Green County unemployment rate was down to 6.3 percent, dropping 0.3 percentage points from February's 6.6 percent. The March rate is 0.9 points lower than the 7.2 percent rate in March a year ago.
The county lost about 30 people from its workforce, but still managed to add 21 people to the 19,070-member employment list and lowered the unemployment number by 50 people to about 1,290, to create a workforce of about 20,360 people.
Lafayette fared even better than Green in adding workers to its force. The county upped its workforce by 50 people, adding 80 people to its employment list and subtracting 30 from the unemployment ranks.
In doing so, Lafayette lowered its unemployment rate by 0.3 points in March to reach 6.1 percent, compared to February. The rate is 0.6 points below March 2013.
Dane County was at 4.4 percent unemployment, down from 4.6 percent in February and down from 4.9 a year ago.
Green, Lafayette and Dane are among the 18 counties, one-fourth of Wisconsin's 72 counties, achieving the lowest rates.
Iowa County is still in the second quarter percentile, with 7.2 percent unemployment, down from 7.6 percent in February and 8.7 percent a year ago.
After seeing a high of 13.9 percent unemployment in March 2009, Rock County came in at 7.8 percent unemployment for March 2014, 0.6 points down from February and a full point from 8.8 percent in March 2013. The county has yet to reach the pre-2009 workforce level of 83,000, shy by about 2,000 people.
Local unemployment numbers are not seasonally adjusted.
In the City of Janesville, unemployment at 8 percent dropped a half-point compared to February's 8.5 percent and 1.4 points compared to 9.4 percent in March 2013.
Madison was at 4.2 percent, down from 4.4 percent in February and 4.6 percent a year ago.
March 2014 unemployment rates decreased in all but three of Wisconsin's 32 largest municipalities from February 2014 and decreased in all 32 municipalities when compared to March 2013 rates. March 2014 rates ranged from 3.6 percent in Caledonia to 11.8 percent in Racine.
Metropolitan Statistical Areas saw comparable drops also. March 2014 unemployment rates decreased in all 12 metro areas except Racine, which had no change, compared to rates in February 2014. All 12 metro areas had lower rates compared to rates in March 2013. The March 2014 rates ranged from 4.7 percent in metro Madison to 8.7 percent in metro Racine.
Janesville MSA was at 7.8 percent, down from 8.1 in February, and 8.8 percent a year ago. Madison MSA unemployment was down to 4.7 percent, after 4.9 percent in February and 5.2 percent in March 2013.
Without seasonal adjustments, Wisconsin March unemployment was at 6.7 percent, down from 7 percent in February and down from 7.5 percent in March 2013. The U.S. rate for March was 6.8 percent, down from 7 percent in February and down from 7.6 percent in March 2013.
The DWD reported initial weekly unemployment insurance claims for the first 14 weeks of 2014 in Wisconsin dropped to the lowest point since 2000, and the annual average weekly UI claims are at a 13-year low.