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On August 24th, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced the preliminary July 2022 unemployment rates for Wisconsin’s 72 counties and the 35 cities with populations greater than 25,000 residents. St. Croix County’s July rate was estimated at 2.9%, which is lower than June’s final rate of 3.1% but higher than May’s final rate of 2.5%. One year ago, the county’s unemployment rate was estimated at 3.1%.

DWD said preliminary unemployment rates from June to July declined or stayed the same in 63 of the 72 counties. Rates declined or stayed the same in 70 of the 72 counties year-over-year. The current rates range from 2.5% in Dane to 9.1% in Menominee.

Preliminary unemployment rates from June to July decreased or stayed the same in 29 of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities. Year-over-year, the rates declined or stayed the same in 33 cities. Rates ranged from 2.3% in Fitchburg to 5.5% in Milwaukee.

The five counties with the lowest unemployment rates in July include Dane (2.5%), Kewaunee (also at 2.5%), Calumet (2.6%), Lafayette (also at 2.6%), and Clark (2.7%). Menominee had the highest rate in July at 9.1%, followed by Iron (5.7%), Adams (5.3%), Forest (5.1%), and Bayfield (5.0%).

St. Croix, Pierce, and Polk counties comprise Wisconsin’s Greater St. Croix Valley. In addition to St. Croix’s rate of 2.9%, July’s preliminary rate in Pierce was 3.1% and Polk’s rate was 3.3%.

St. Croix and Pierce counties are included in the 15-county Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI metro area. The July 2022 unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was estimated at 2.0%, which is lower than June’s final rate of 2.2%, but higher than May’s final rate of 1.6%. The unemployment rate in the Twin Cities was 3.2% in July 2021.

Nearby Washington County in Minnesota reported a preliminary rate of 1.8% for July compared to June’s final rate of 2.0%, while Dakota reported a rate of 1.9% for July versus 2.1% for June, and Chisago’s rate for July was 2.0%, compared to 2.2% in June.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Wisconsin in July was estimated at 3.0%, which is higher than the final rate of 2.9% for both June and May. One year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 3.8%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in Minnesota for July was estimated at 1.8%, which is the same as the final rate for June and lower than May’s final rate of 2.0%. Minnesota’s seasonally-adjusted rate one year ago was 3.3%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in the U.S. for July was estimated at 3.5%, which is lower than the final rate of 3.6% for both June and May. One year ago, the U.S. rate (seasonally adjusted) was estimated at 5.4%.

Wisconsin’s preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for July was estimated at 66.2%, which is lower than June’s final rate of 66.4% and May’s final rate of 66.5%. One year ago, Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate was also 66.7%. The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for the U.S. in July was estimated at 62.1%, which is lower than June’s final rate of 62.2% and May’s final rate of 62.3%. One year ago, the labor force participation rate in the U.S. was 61.7%.

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