State economists have held that statistically, when unemployment is at or below four percent, it means nearly everyone seeking a job has one.
54 of Wisconsin's 72 counties are at that statistical marker. The state's monthly unemployment report finds Iron county with the second highest jobless rate at 5.9 percent. The rest of the counties in the listening area range from 3.7 percent in Lincoln county to 4.8 percent in Forest county. Those numbers are far below the recession figures of a few years ago.
State labor economist Scott Hodek says the labor force was up in the Northwoods...
"....most of the labor force gain went into the employed, all of it actually, and the number of unemployed dropped in all your listening area counties as well. More unemployed persons are getting employed and pretty much everyone joining the workforce is getting work..."
Hodek says that's unusual because more Baby Boomers are retiring and it's thought there are fewer young people to replace them. Rates decreased or remained the same in 70 counties when compared to last year's rates, and decreased or remained the same in 45 of 72 counties when compared to September 2016 rates.
