Department of Workforce Development Releases Preliminary Employment Estimates for January

Friday, March 10th, 2023 -- 11:00 AM

The Department of Workforce Development released the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics preliminary employment estimates for the month of January 2023, which showed Wisconsin added 4,100 nonfarm jobs over the month and 55,800 jobs over the year.

The data also showed that Wisconsin's unemployment rate fell to 2.9% for January, down 0.1 percentage point from the revised 3% in December 2022. The state's labor force participation rate for January was 64.5%.

Nationwide for the month of January, the unemployment rate was 3.4% with a labor force participation rate of 62.4%. Wisconsin's unemployment rate for December 2022 was adjusted lower, from the initially reported 3.2% to 3%, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics completed its annual benchmarking to update the data underlying the unemployment rate model.

Following the benchmarking process, the statewide unemployment rate just released for January 2023 was lower still, coming in 2.9%, 0.5 percentage points below the national rate for January of 3.4%.

Following the benchmarking process, the statewide unemployment rate for February also will be released in March. Over the year, Wisconsin added 55,800 nonfarm jobs, with gains of 9,300 manufacturing jobs, 8,100 leisure and hospitality jobs, and 5,400 construction jobs.

Over the month for January, Wisconsin nonfarm jobs increased by 4,100.

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