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Wis. employment gains in Nov.
BLS data shows 7th consecutive monthly record; Lafayette tops in state, Green tied for second
department of development workforce

MADISON — Workers participated in Wisconsin’s economy at unprecedented numbers last month, setting a seventh consecutive record for employment, according to preliminary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates for November 2024, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced recently.

Preliminary employment estimates for November 2024 showed Wisconsin’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 2.9%, which is 1.3 percentage points below the national unemployment rate of 4.2%. The state’s labor force participation rate increased to 65.8% in November while the national rate ticked down to 62.5%.

●  Place of Residence Data: Wisconsin’s unemployment rate was 2.9% in November, 1.3 percentage points below the national rate of 4.2%. Wisconsin’s labor force increased by 7,200 over the month and 14,700 over the year. The number of people employed increased 6,000 over the month to a record-high 3,073,900 employed.

●  Place of Work Data: Total nonfarm jobs increased 300 over the month and 23,400 over the year to 3,043,500 jobs.

Locally, Lafayette County led the state with a November not-seasonably adjusted unemployment rate of 1.9%, up slightly from 1.7% in October 2024 and from 1.8% in November 2023. Green County was tied with Door and Calumet counties at 2.0%. Green County was at 1.9% in October 2024 and 2.0% in November 2023. Menominee was the worst-ranked county in the state, with an unemployment rate at just 4.2%.

●  Metropolitan Statistical Areas: Preliminary November 2024 unemployment rates ticked up by 0.1 percentage points in seven metropolitan areas over the month and increased by 0.2 percentage points in one area while staying the same in the remaining four; rates decreased or stayed the same in 11 areas over the year.

●  Municipalities: Preliminary November 2024 unemployment rates decreased or stayed the same in 16 of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities over the month; rates decreased or stayed the same in 27 cities over the year.

●  Counties: Preliminary November 2024 unemployment rates stayed the same in 12 counties over the month and increased elsewhere; rates decreased or stayed the same in 63 counties over the year.