Wisconsin’s unemployment rate decreased in October – but not by much. The state’s unemployment rate is at its lowest point of the year, continuing a decline that began in June and remaining below the national rate. That’s the good news revealed in the October jobless rate, which at 7.6 percent was down just one tenth of a percentage point from September, although it’s dropped eight tenths of a percent from August. On a seasonally adjusted basis, Wisconsin’s unemployment rate remained unchanged, at 8.4 percent, and down from 8.8 percent in August.
The national rate for October was 9.5 percent, also unchanged from September, and 3.4 percentage points higher than in October 2008. Over the last 12 months, data showed a loss of 129,600 non farm jobs in Wisconsin. Goods producers were down 59,000, mostly in manufacturing, which was down 48,700. Service sector jobs declined 70,600 over the year, led by professional and business services, which lost 23,200 jobs.
The figures were released Thursday by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
