Wisconsin's unemployment rate decreased from 7.7 percent to 7.6 percent this October, according to a report released by the Department of Workforce Development Thursday.
In October 2008, Wisconsin's unemployment rate was 4.4 percent. The national unemployment rate was 6.1 percent at that time.
Wisconsin's current unemployment rate was 1.9 percentage points lower than the national average, which was recorded at 9.5 percent in October. The national rate was unchanged from September.
Nonfarm jobs increased by 7,200, and service producers added 9,400 jobs. The manufacturing sector lost 5,000 jobs, and employment related to leisure and hospitality decreased by 12,000. The civilian labor force lost nearly 18,000 jobs in October.
According to the DWD, total nonfarm jobs decreased by 129,600 over the past year.
Manufacturing decreased by 48,700 jobs, and the service sector lost 70,600 jobs.
In a statement, DWD Secretary Roberta Gassman said Wisconsin's rate of unemployment has been on the decline since June. She said the most recent data on employment show Wisconsin is at the lowest unemployment rate the state has seen this year.
""While this is good news, we know many remain unemployed, and we are doing all that we can to put them back to work and move the economy forward,"" she said.
