Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Door, Langlade, Oconto, Pepin, Rock, and Sawyer counties achieved record-low unemployment rates in September 2024.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), on Oct 23rd, announced nine counties across the state, including several counties in Northern Wisconsin, showed the lowest rates of unemployment on record. Counties with record-low unemployment include Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Door, Langlade, Oconto, Pepin, Rock, and Sawyer, with unemployment rates being as low as 1.9 percent and no higher than 2.7 percent in these select counties. Last week, DWD announced new record-high employment during September 2024. This is the fifth consecutive monthly record for state employment, highlighting the unprecedented number of workers participating in Wisconsin’s economy.

“Record-low unemployment in nine counties, including eight largely rural northern counties, is no small feat, and it certainly is no accident,” said Gov. Evers. “These record-breaking numbers represent real working families, businesses, and communities across our state and are a testament to our state’s hard-working people, our innovative industries, and our efforts to reduce barriers to work for folks to succeed and stay in the workforce, such as access to job training, child care, transit, housing, and more. As we continue to highlight 2024 the Year of the Worker in Wisconsin, we’re excited to be celebrating the strength of our state’s world-class workforce and look forward to continuing our efforts to ensure our economy and workforce maintain this positive momentum.”   

DWD on Oct 23rd, released U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates of employment and unemployment statistics for metropolitan areas, major cities, and counties in Wisconsin for September 2024. According to DWD, preliminary employment estimates for September 2024 showed Wisconsin’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 2.9 percent, which is 1.2 percentage points below the national unemployment rate of 4.1 percent. In addition, the state’s labor force participation rate increased to 65.6 percent in September while the national rate stayed at 62.7 percent.  

Additionally, the state continues to see a historically high number of nonfarm jobs. Nonfarm jobs have increased 30,800 over the year to 3,044,800 jobs.  

“Record-breaking low unemployment across nine largely rural counties, many of them in Northern Wisconsin, shows that the economy we are building provides real opportunities for workers,” said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. “All areas of Wisconsin and all sectors of our economy—agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and more—benefit from connecting employers with a skilled workforce and ensuring a level field for success.”  

According to BLS, record-low unemployment rates for counties in September 2024 include: 

- Ashland, 2.4 percent;

- Bayfield, 2.5 percent; 

- Burnett, 2.6 percent; 

- Door, 1.9 percent; 

- Langlade, 2.7 percent; 

- Oconto, 2.3 percent; 

- Pepin, 2.0 percent; 

- Rock, 2.5 percent; and 

- Sawyer, 2.5 percent. 

Additionally, non-seasonally adjusted data for Wisconsin shows: 

- Metropolitan Statistical Areas: Preliminary September 2024 unemployment rates decreased or stayed the same in all 12 metropolitan statistical areas over the month; rates decreased in all 12 areas over the year. 

- Municipalities: Preliminary September 2024 unemployment rates decreased or stayed the same in 34 of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities over the month; rates decreased in all 35 cities over the year. 

- Counties: Preliminary September 2024 unemployment rates decreased or stayed the same in 70 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties over the month; rates decreased or stayed the same in 71 counties over the year.  

Data included in Oct 23rd’s announcement can be accessed at Wisconomy.com  

A full list of current employment statistics and local area unemployment statistics for September 2024 is available here.   

A full list of non-seasonally adjusted local area unemployment statistics for all 72 counties in Wisconsin for September 2024 is available here.