7/28/11 – The jobless rate in the region increased over the two-month period from May to June, however most counties were doing better than last year at the same time. In Dodge County, the unemployment rate last month was 8.4% which is higher than the 7.7% reported in May but four-tenths lower than last year. Fond du Lac County also increased by seven-tenths to 7.8%. Washington County was at 7.5% and Green Lake County was at 8.2%…both of them up a half percentage point. Jefferson County increased to 8.7% and Columbia County rose to 7.9%…both up six-tenths of a percent. Columbia County was the only county in the region that had a higher jobless rate this year compared to last year, by one-tenth of a percent. Dane County continues to have the lowest claims for joblessness at 5.8% while Menominee County’s unemployment rate topped 20%. Eight of the state’s 72 counties had lower rates or no change over the reporting period. Of the remaining counties, 55 had increases of less than a percentage point. Compared to last year, rates were lower5 in 49 counties and unchanged in three. The seasonally-adjusted rate for the state was up two-tenths to 7.6%, well below the national rate of 9.2%
