Unemployment falls across region and state

Warmer weather has brought with it lower unemployment rates across the region and Wisconsin.

Across the state, unemployment went from 5.6 percent in March to just 4.4 percent in April, beating the national rate of 4.8 percent.

“Wisconsin’s labor market improved significantly in April, as the construction industry enjoyed warmer weather and manufacturing continued to see strong exports, due in part to a weaker dollar,” said Roberta Gassman, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

Within the region, Pepin County saw the biggest drop, from 6.2 percent in March to just 4.3 percent in April.

Polk County also saw a steep dive, dropping 1.5 percent to 6 percent in April.

The rate dropped almost a full point in St. Croix County, from 5.7 percent to 4.8 percent in April.

Pierce County saw its unemployment rate drop from 5.5 percent in March to 4.7 percent.

In Dunn County, the rate dropped to 4.3 percent in April, while in Chippewa County the rate fell to 5.3 percent. In Eau Claire County, the April rate was a low 3.7 percent.

“This is the second consecutive month that we’ve seen improvement in both construction and manufacturing, and we look forward to continued growth,” Gassman said. “Employment in the leisure and hospitality sector also is improving, as the summer vacation season approaches.”

Tags: business, hudson, unemployment, down