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On August 23rd, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced the preliminary July 2023 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 3.2%, which is lower than June’s final rate of 3.5% but higher than May’s final rate of 2.8%. One year ago, the county’s unemployment rate was estimated at 3.0%.

DWD said preliminary unemployment rates from June to July decreased or stayed the same in 68 of 72 counties. Year-over-year, rates decreased or stayed the same in 48 of 72 counties. Current rates range from 2.2% in Lafayette to 9.4% in Menominee.

Preliminary unemployment rates from June to July increased in 34 of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities. Year-over-year, rates declined or stayed the same in 19 cities. Rates ranged from 2.5% in Madison to 4.8% in Racine.

The five counties with the lowest unemployment rates in July include Lafayette (2.2%), Dane (2.5%), Door (also at 2.5%), Iowa (also at 2.5%), and Green (also at 2.5%). Menomonee had the highest rate in July at 9.4%, followed by Iron (5.2%), Forest (4.7%), Adams ((also at 4.7%), and Buffalo (4.3%).

St. Croix, Pierce, and Polk counties comprise Wisconsin’s Greater St. Croix Valley. In addition to St. Croix’s rate of 3.2%, July’s preliminary rate for both Pierce and Polk was also 3.2%.

St. Croix and Pierce counties are included in the 15-county Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI metro area. The July 2023 unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was estimated at 3.1%, which is lower than June’s final rate of 3.3% but higher than May’s final rate of 2.9%. The unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was 2.5% in July 2022.

Nearby Washington County in Minnesota reported a preliminary rate of 2.9% in July, while Dakota County, MN reported a rate of 3.0% and Chisago County, MN had a rate of 3.3%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Wisconsin in July was estimated at 2.6%, which is higher than June’s final rate of 2.5% and May’s final rate of 2.4%. One year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 3.0%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Minnesota in July was estimated at 3.0%, which is higher than the final rate of 2.9% for both June and May. Minnesota’s seasonally-adjusted rate one year ago was 2.6%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in the U.S. for July was estimated at 3.5%, which is lower than June’s final rate of 3.6%, but higher than May’s final rate of 2.7%. One year ago, the U.S. rate (seasonally adjusted) was estimated at 3.5%.

Wisconsin’s preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for July was estimated at 65.5%, which is higher than June’s final rate of 65.3% and May’s final rate of 65.1%. One year ago, Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate was 65.0%. The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for the U.S. in July was estimated at 62.6%, which is the same as the final rate for both June and May. One year ago, the labor force participation rate in the U.S. was 62.1%.

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