Wisconsin’s unemployment rate increased and the number of total private sector jobs was essentially flat in January, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The state’s unemployment rate is now 3.2%, up a tenth from December and three-tenths from a year ago. However, the rate remains lower than the national rate of 4%.
Wisconsin saw little job growth for the month, with the seasonally adjusted number of private sector jobs up by just 100.
Within goods producing sectors, gains in construction and nondurable goods manufacturing were offset by the loss of 1,500 jobs in durable goods manufacturing. Durable goods manufacturing in the state has lost 10,200 jobs over the past year, a 3.7% drop.
In service sectors, administrative support and waste management services employment in Wisconsin dropped by 2,300 and wholesale and retail trade were down a combined 1,100 jobs. Those losses offset gains in professional, scientific and technical services, private education, health services and financial activities in the state.
For most months, the state labor market information is released around the middle of the next month. The January data is generally released in early March is part of an annual benchmarking process that takes place.
Recent unemployment claims data provides some insight into how the labor market in Wisconsin is trending amid growing uncertainty from tariffs and government spending cuts.
Year-over-year, the number of initial claims has been down in seven of 10 weeks to start 2025.
The average number of initial claims filed per week in Wisconsin for the four weeks ending with March 8 was 4,988, an increase of 8.5% from the same period in 2024. That includes a 12% year-over-year decrease for the week ending March 8, but increases of 27% and 23% the prior two weeks.
The average number of continuing employment claims in the state over the same time period is down 1.8% to 36,233.
