The state's adjusted unemployment rate is holding at 3.4 percent for August, same as July. In the Northwoods, all counties are seeing lower rates than one year ago.
Iron county has the state's second highest rate at 6 percent, Forest county is at 5.2 percent, Langlade at 4.2, Lincoln 3.8, Vilas and Price at 3.6, Oneida county is at 3.3.
State labor economist Mitchell Rupp in Wausau details how the rates have changed since last year... "Forest(county) is at 5.2 two a decrease of one point from last year,Langlade is at 4.6, a decrease of .8 from last year. Lincoln is at 3.8, a decrease of .5 from last year. Oneida is at 3.3 and a decrease of .9 from last year. Vilas is at 3.6, a decrease of one point from last year...."
Rupp says summertime trends usually follow certain patterns....
"...during June we have a spike in the unemployment rate because students are getting out of school. They're being included in the unemployment rate number even though they haven't found a job yet. As time goes on the students get absorbed into the workforce and then the unemployment rate starts going down. When you get toward August you don't see much of a change in the unemployment rate...."
Rates decreased in 71 of 72 counties when compared to the previous year. Dane county has the state's lowest rate at 2.4 percent.
