MONROE — For months, Green and Lafayette Counties have led the state with the two lowest unemployment rates among all 72 counties.

But in the most recent statistics released earlier this week, the two southwest Wisconsin counties slipped a bit to the fifth and seventh spots, respectively. Dane County now leads the state with its unemployment rate of 1.9%, dropping from 2.1% last month.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s overall unemployment rate was 3.2% in January. For Green County, the rate jumped slightly only to 2.2% from 2.1%  in December 2023 and 2.8% at this time last year. Lafayette County also saw a 2.2% rate in the latest reporting period, over its 2.1% last month, and 2.9% rate last year.

Among the findings, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) job totals for January 2024 show Wisconsin’s total nonfarm jobs, private jobs, and employment all hit new all-time highs.

In nearby Rock County, the current rate of 3% was a slight decrease from last month’s 3.1% and a definite improvement over last year’s 3.3%.

The state added 5,100 nonfarm jobs and 4,700 private jobs, bringing both totals to historic highs, 3,026,900 and 2,621,000 respectively. The state also made gains in employment, increasing by 2,900 over the month and 29,300 over the year to a record 3,047,500. Wisconsin’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.2% in January, while the state’s total labor force participation rate remained at 65.9%.

Nationwide for the month of January, the U.S. unemployment rate remained at 3.7%, 0.5 percentage points above Wisconsin’s rate. The national labor force participation rate of 62.5% was 3.4% below the overall state rate.

Other highlights of the state report:

●  The number of unemployed people decreased 5,200 over the month and increased 18,200 over the year to 100,400. The labor force decreased by 2,300 workers over the month for a total labor force of 3,147,900. The number of people employed increased by 2,900 over the month for a total of 3,047,500 employed.

●  Total jobs increased by 25,200 over the year and increased 5,100 over the month to 3,026,900 total jobs in January. Private sector jobs increased by 17,000 over the year and increased by 4,700 over the month to 2,621,000. Construction jobs grew by 1,900 over the month to a record high 140,000 jobs.

●  Preliminary January 2024 unemployment rates decreased or stayed the same in 10 out of 12 Wisconsin metro areas over the month; rates decreased in all 12 areas over the year. 

●  Preliminary January 2024 unemployment rates decreased or stayed the same in 34 of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities over the month; rates decreased or stayed the same in 32 cities over the year. 

●  Preliminary January 2024 unemployment rates decreased or stayed the same in 43 of 72 Wisconsin counties over the month. Over the year, 64 of 72 Wisconsin counties had unemployment rates decrease or stay the same.