Unemployment numbers held steady in the Northwoods from February to March, but still remain a few points above the numbers in central and southern Wisconsin.
The March unemployment rate reported by the state finds Iron county with the state's highest rate at 6.8 percent, Forest county at 5.5, Vilas at 5.4, Oneida 4.7 percent, Langlade 4.3 percent, Price at 3.8 and Lincoln 3.6 percent. All those numbers are lower than February's marks.
State labor economist Mitchell Rupp says the numbers still reflect a downward trend....
"....in all of Wisconsin's 72 counties, the unemployment rates have dropped when you look at previous years. If you look at March 2017, all those rates were higher in all 72 counties of Wisconsin...."
Rupp says the state continues to add jobs...
"....Wisconsin's statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at the historically low point of 2.9 percent in March, 2018. The data shows the state gained 8900 private sector jobs which ranked fourth nationally. Additionally, the state gained 2,100 manufacturing jobs which ranked third nationally and first in the Midwest...."
Those numbers supplied by the Department of Workforce Development. Rupp also says more information is available at the DWD website wisconomy.com
