Unemployment rates in all of Wisconsin's metropolitan areas and most counties increased between February and March, according to data released Wednesday by the Department of Workforce Development.
The Madison metropolitan area continued to have the lowest unemployment in the state, with a rate of 6.4 percent in March. The Janesville area had the highest rate at 13.5 percent.
The city of Madison's unemployment rate grew to 5.4 percent from 5.1 percent, and Dane County's unemployment rate reached 6 percent.
However, five Wisconsin counties saw their unemployment rates drop and three saw no change.
Wisconsin's unemployment rate grew to 9.4 percent in March, and according to the Laura Dresser, director for the Center on Wisconsin Strategy Research, that number could reach double digits in April.
Dresser said the trend of rising unemployment, which is a lagging indicator of an economic downturn, will not likely end soon.
""The recent 600,000 job loss at the national level suggests that we are not going to see that turning [around] in the next few months,"" Dresser said. ""I would say unemployment will continue to go up at least for the next few months, and some economists are saying for the rest of the year.""
