Eight metro areas in Wisconsin added jobs in March, but the state’s largest metro area reported 4,000 fewer jobs, according to preliminary Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
While metropolitan Milwaukee – which includes Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties – shed 4,400 jobs, most other metro areas reported job gains on a seasonally adjusted basis. Including Milwaukee, four metro areas reported job losses.
The metro area breakdown is as follows:
- Appleton, +200
- Eau Claire, -800
- Green Bay, -1,500
- Fond du Lac, +400
- Janesville, +600
- La Crosse, +700
- Madison, +1,000
- Milwaukee, -4,400
- Oshkosh-Neenah, -500
- Racine, +800
- Sheboygan, +100
- Wausau, +600
All 12 metro areas had lower unemployment rates in March than in February and the same month a year ago. Janesville had the highest rate at 9.2%, while Madison had the lowest at 5.3%.
Janesville and Sheboygan had the year-over-year decreases of 1.3 percentage points. Janesville’s rate dropped from 10.5% in March 2011 to 9.2 percent last month, while Sheboygan’s rate fell from 8.6% to 7.3%.
Among the state’s 32 municipalities with at least 25,000 residents, only Franklin had a rate increase over the month, from 6.1% in February to 6.2% in March. The other municipalities had decreases over the month, and all had rate declines from a year ago. Caledonia had the lowest March 2012 rate, 3.5%, while Racine had the highest at 11.9%.
Sixty-seve of the state’s 72 counties had lower rates over the past month. Ashland, Forest, Menominee, and Vilas counties had increases, while Iron county had no change.
Compared to a year ago, 69 counties had lower rates. Bayfield, Menominee, and Sawyer counties had rate increases. Dane had the lowest rate, 5.0%; Menominee, the highest rate, 16.2%.
Overall, “more people are working, and we expect more to return to work as the hiring season progresses,” DWD Secretary Reggie Newson said in a release.
Newson added that job openings on www.JobCenterofWisconsin.com, have exceeded 36,000 statewide in recent weeks, and he urges job seekers to visit the website and pursue these opportunities.
