Wisconsin’s unemployment rate hits its lowest level in almost five years during the month of October.
The state Department of Workforce Development says seasonally adjusted job numbers show the state’s unemployment rate last month was 6.5 percent, down a tenth of a point from September and below the national average of 7.3 percent. The last time the rate was that low was before a recession ramped up in 2008.
Preliminary numbers show that Wisconsin added 6,000 manufacturing jobs last month, 4,300 retail positions, and 2,500 educational and health jobs. However, those figures are based on only a small percentage of employer surveys. Governor Scott Walker’s administration has frequently said it takes more stock in federal quarterly reports that survey virtually all employers, but don’t get a lot of publicity because they have a time lag of several months.
Overall, the DWD says figures submitted to the federal government show Wisconsin created just under 2,400 private sector jobs during the year ending in June.
