While parts of Wisconsin are seeing very low unemployment numbers, 5 of the 15 highest numbers of unemployment come from Northwoods.
Preliminary December 2015 rates decreased or remained the same in 68 of Wisconsin's 72 counties compared to rates in December 2014. The latest rates ranged from 2.9 percent in Dane to 8.7 percent in Iron. lsewhere in the Northwoods, Vilas had the state's fifth highest rate at 7.8 percent, Forest at 7.2, Oneida 6.2, Langlade 5.9, Lincoln 4.9 and Price at 4.7 percent.
Labor Market Economist Ryan White in Wausau says there has been a rise in the number of unemployed persons in this region
"we do see the total labor force increase from November to December 2015 by 1,050, the number employed dropped by 104 while the number of unemployed increased by 1,154.... "
White says a better way to look at employment trends is to look at year-to-year changes. He says since 2014, the number participating in the work force decreased. He says as far as the unemployment rate still fell by just under one percent from 2014.
The average weekly Initial Unemployment claims for 2015 dropped to the lowest level since 1989, and average weekly continued claims are at their lowest levels since 1999.
