1/26/12 – Most counties in the region saw a moderate decrease in their December unemployment rate, compared to November. That’s according to local estimates released Wednesday by state workforce development officials. In Dodge County, the jobless rate was at 6.8% in December, down one-tenth from November and nearly a full-percentage point lower that December of 2010. Columbia and Jefferson counties both dropped a tenth-of-a-point over the two-month period to 6.9%. Fond du Lac County held steady at 6.2% while the jobless rate ticked-up a tenth in Washington County to 6.1%. Dane County has the states lowest rate at 4.4%. Door County has the states highest number of jobless filings at 11.7% and is one of six counties in double-digits. In total, 44 of the states 72 counties saw an increase in the jobless rate over the two-month period, 20 had decreases and there was no change in 8 counties. In comparing December 2011 to December of 2010, there were only two counties that saw increases in unemployment.
Five of Wisconsin’s 12 metro areas lost jobs during December. The Eau Claire and Sheboygan areas lost 800 jobs each on a seasonally-adjusted basis. Metro Milwaukee lost 700, and La Crosse and Madison had smaller losses. Janesville had the highest unadjusted jobless rate among the 12 metros at eight-point-three percent. Madison had the lowest at four-point-seven. All but four Wisconsin counties saw their unadjusted rates go down from November. Manitowoc, Menomonee Falls, and West Allis had slight increases in their municipal unemployment rates.