Unemployment has risen a bit since one year ago across the Northwoods.
The Department of Workforce Development preliminary December unemployment rates found joblessness declined or stayed the same in nine of Wisconsin's 72 counties over the month. The largest decrease occurred in Menominee County.
For the counties in this region, all were above December 2018 levels reports state labor economist Mitchell Rupp...
"So the unemployment rate for the month of December is Forest, 5.6, Langlade 4.6, Lincoln 3.8, Oneida 5.1, and Vilas 5.5..."
Iron county's rate is 6.5 and Price county is at 4.7 percent.
All the counties in this region saw unemployment jump up to one point higher than a year ago.
Rupp says the regional rate was also up...
"For the north central region of Wisconsin, the unemployment rate for the month of December is 3.6 which increased by point-six from the previous month and increased by point-five from the previous year..."
The statewide rate was 3.2 which increased slightly from the previous year.
Officials say unemployment tends to rise a bit during the cold weather months.
Dane county had the state's lowest rate at 2.1 percent.
