Counties with the highest unemployment in Wisconsin

Written by:
Stacker
November 2, 2023
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Counties with the highest unemployment in Wisconsin

While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.

Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession. The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.

But as of September 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—equal to the previous month, and up about 0.3 percentage points from the same time last year. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.6% in Maryland to 5.4% in Nevada.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Wisconsin using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in September 2023, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

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#50. Ozaukee County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 49,674 people (1,501 unemployed)

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#49. Eau Claire County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 61,106 people (1,809 unemployed)

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#48. Marathon County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 73,284 people (2,164 unemployed)

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#47. Winnebago County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 94,201 people (2,837 unemployed)

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#46. Brown County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 144,778 people (4,343 unemployed)

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#45. Waukesha County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 228,157 people (6,918 unemployed)

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#44. Richland County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,735 people (269 unemployed)

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#43. Lincoln County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,627 people (448 unemployed)

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#42. Trempealeau County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,587 people (457 unemployed)

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#41. Grant County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,645 people (836 unemployed)

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#40. Chippewa County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,901 people (1,044 unemployed)

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#39. Portage County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 38,552 people (1,208 unemployed)

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#38. Walworth County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 59,537 people (1,853 unemployed)

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#37. Florence County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,117 people (68 unemployed)

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#36. Taylor County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,427 people (338 unemployed)

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#35. Shawano County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,084 people (638 unemployed)

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#34. Barron County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,817 people (763 unemployed)

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#33. Waupaca County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,973 people (799 unemployed)

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#32. Manitowoc County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 40,886 people (1,293 unemployed)

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#30. Ashland County (tie)

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,665 people (254 unemployed)

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#30. Washburn County (tie)

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,709 people (254 unemployed)

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#29. Green Lake County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,517 people (318 unemployed)

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#28. Vilas County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,364 people (338 unemployed)

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#27. Waushara County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,912 people (357 unemployed)

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#26. Juneau County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,534 people (450 unemployed)

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#25. Dunn County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,447 people (797 unemployed)

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#24. Polk County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,595 people (800 unemployed)

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#23. Pierce County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,742 people (816 unemployed)

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#22. St. Croix County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 50,579 people (1,663 unemployed)

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#21. Price County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,224 people (210 unemployed)

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#20. Rusk County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,320 people (217 unemployed)

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#19. Bayfield County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,445 people (260 unemployed)

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#18. Jackson County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,172 people (325 unemployed)

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#17. Crawford County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,812 people (247 unemployed)

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#16. Burnett County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,261 people (263 unemployed)

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#15. Marquette County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,751 people (276 unemployed)

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#14. Sawyer County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,134 people (290 unemployed)

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#13. Rock County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 87,085 people (3,116 unemployed)

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#12. Langlade County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,122 people (333 unemployed)

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#11. Douglas County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,107 people (861 unemployed)

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#10. Wood County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,473 people (1,232 unemployed)

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#9. Kenosha County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 92,229 people (3,399 unemployed)

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#8. Racine County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 100,532 people (3,699 unemployed)

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#7. Marinette County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,899 people (752 unemployed)

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#6. Milwaukee County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 469,259 people (19,472 unemployed)

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#5. Buffalo County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,987 people (249 unemployed)

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#4. Forest County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,941 people (174 unemployed)

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#3. Adams County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,997 people (354 unemployed)

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#2. Iron County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,550 people (121 unemployed)

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#1. Menominee County

- September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 5.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,478 people (85 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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