Wisconsin's unemployment rate is nearing record lows, but three of the state's highest rates continue in the Northwoods.
The Department of Workforce Development's April report shows all 72 counties saw lower jobless numbers than one year ago in April. Labor Economist Mitchell Rupp in Wausau details the area numbers...
"....Forest is at 5.5, Langlade is at 4.3, Lincoln is at 3.6, Oneida is at 4.0, and Vilas is at 5.4......"
Iron county has the state's highest rate at 7.4 percent, though that number is nearly three points lower than that county's April, 2016 number. Price county is at 3.7 percent. The other counties are all one to two percentage points lower than in 2016.
Rupp says mid-year college grads sometimes spike the unemployment rate...
"...in February we seek the peak in the unemployment rate because students are getting out of college. Their looking for work, so they fit into that unemployed category. But the weather gets nicer, people have more time to find work, and they do...."
The state's lowest rate is 2.1 percent in Dane county, and overall the rate was 3.2 percent and initial unemployment numbers were running at their lowest rate since 1989. The state reports the state's labor force participation rate stood at 68 percent last month, higher than the national rate of 62 percent.
Rupp reminds all job seekers to check out the Job Center of Wisconsinwebsite.
