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On October 25th, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced the preliminary September 2023 unemployment rates for Wisconsin’s 72 counties and the 35 cities with populations greater than 25,000 residents. St. Croix County’s September rate was estimated at 3.3%, which is lower than August’s final rate of 3.8% and higher July’s final rate of 3.2%. One year ago, the county’s unemployment rate was estimated at 2.7%.

DWD said preliminary unemployment rates from August to September decreased in 71 counties and was unchanged in one. Year-over-year, rates decreased in one of 72 counties. Current rates range from 2.3% in Lafayette to 5.8% in Menominee.

The four counties with the lowest unemployment rates in September include Lafayette (2.3%), Door (2.6%), Green (2.6%), and Pepin (also at 2.6%). Menominee had the highest rate in September at 5.8%, followed by Iron (4.7%), Adams (4.4%), Forest (4.4%), Buffalo (4.2%) and Milwaukee (4.1%).

St. Croix, Pierce, and Polk counties comprise Wisconsin’s Greater St. Croix Valley. In addition to St. Croix’s rate of 3.8%, September’s preliminary rate for both Polk and Pierce was 3.3%.

St. Croix and Pierce counties are included in the 15-county Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI metro area. The September 2023 unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was estimated at 2.7%, which is lower than August and July’s final rate of 3.2%. The unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was 2.3% in September of 2022.

Nearby Washington County in Minnesota reported a preliminary rate of 2.4% in September, while Dakota County, MN reported a rate of 2.5% and Chisago County, MN had a rate of 2.6%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Wisconsin in September was estimated at 2.9%, which is the same as August’s final rate of 2.9% and July’s final rate of 2.6%. One year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 3.1%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Minnesota in September was estimated at 3.1%, which is the same as August’s final rate of 3.1% and higher than July’s final rate of 3.0%. Minnesota’s seasonally-adjusted rate one year ago was 2.2%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in the U.S. for September was estimated at 3.8%, which is the same as August’s final rate of 3.8% and higher than July’s final rate of 3.5%. One year ago, the U.S. rate (seasonally adjusted) was estimated at 3.3%.

Wisconsin’s preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for September was estimated at 65.8%, which is higher than August’s final rate of 65.7% and July’s final rate of 65.5%. One year ago, Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate was 64.7%. The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for the U.S. in September was estimated at 62.8%, which is e same as August and higher than the final rate of 62.6% for both July. One year ago, the labor force participation rate in the U.S. was 62.3%.

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