St. Croix County’s March unemployment rate drops

• March 2012 Unemployment Chart

March 2012 Unemployment Chart

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Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Secretary Reginald J. Newson announced the preliminary March unemployment rates for Wisconsin’s 72 counties on April 25.

St. Croix County’s rate was estimated at 6.2 percent, halting a three-month trend of rate increases. The February rate in St. Croix was 6.8 percent while January’s rate was reported at 6.1 percent and December’s rate, 5.0 percent. One year ago, the county’s unemployment rate was estimated at 7.6 percent.

“Compared to a year ago, unemployment rates are lower in all major cities, all metro areas and all but three counties,” said Secretary Newson.

DWD said 67 of the state’s 72 counties had lower unemployment rates over the month. Compared to a year ago, 69 had lower rates. Of Wisconsin’s 32 municipalities with a population of least 25,000 residents, only Franklin had a rate increase over the month, and all had declines from a year ago.

Only four counties had lower unemployment rates than St. Croix in March, including Dane (5.0 percent), La Crosse (5.6 percent), Calumet (5.7 percent) and Ozaukee (6.2 percent). Menominee (16.2 percent) had the highest unemployment rate in the state, followed by Bayfield (13.0 percent), Vilas (12.9 percent), Door (12.8 percent) and Iron (12.6 percent).

“All 10 counties in Wisconsin’s west central and northwest region have lower rates in March compared to February as well as a year ago,” said William Rubin, executive director of St. Croix Economic Development Corp.

“St. Croix County led the way, followed by Eau Claire (6.3 percent) and Pierce (6.3 percent) while Rusk County has the highest rate at 10.6 percent. Pierce and St. Croix’s close alignment with the 13-county Twin Cities region is reflected in the comparable unemployment rates.”

St. Croix, Pierce, Polk and Dunn counties comprise Wisconsin’s Greater St. Croix Valley. Pierce County’s unemployment rate for March was 6.3 percent (down from February’s rate of 6.7 percent, but higher than the January rate of 6.1 percent). Polk’s rate decreased from 9.9 percent in February to 9.3 percent in March. Polk’s rate for January was 9.5 percent. Dunn County’s unemployment rate in March was reported at 6.8 percent, compared to the February rate of 7.3 percent. One year ago, Dunn’s rate was 7.6 percent.

The 13-county Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI metro area reported an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent in March compared to 6.2 percent in February and 5.9 percent in January. Both St. Croix and Pierce counties are included in the federal definition of the 13-county Twin Cities metro area. One year ago, the unemployment rate in the Twin Cities was 6.8 percent.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Wisconsin in March was estimated at 6.8 percent, which is lower than the January and February rate of 6.9 percent. One year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 7.6 percent.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in Minnesota for March was estimated at 5.8 percent compared to 5.7 percent in February and 5.6 percent in January. Minnesota’s seasonally adjusted rate was 6.6 percent one year ago.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in the U.S. in March was estimated at 8.2 percent which is down from January and February rate of 8.3 percent. One year ago the U.S. rate was estimated at 8.9 percent.

March’s estimates are preliminary and are subject to revision within the next few weeks.

Tags: saint croix county, business, wisconsin