JANESVILLE — Janesville’s unemployment rate was 2.6% in December, down from 3.1% in November and 2.7% in December of 2021, according to data released Wednesday by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
Janesville tied with Kenosha and Manitowoc for the fifth highest jobless rate among Wisconsin’s 35 largest communities in December.
Beloit, meanwhile, ended the year with its lowest monthly unemployment rate. Beloit recorded an unemployment rate of 2.9% in December, down from 3.8% in November and 3.5% in December of 2021.
Beloit started out 2022 with a January unemployment rate of 4%. The city hit its highest unemployment rate in June, at 5.7%, according to the state data.
In December, Beloit had the third highest unemployment rate among Wisconsin’s 35 largest communities. Milwaukee and Racine tied for the highest rate in the state at 3.2% in December. Madison had the lowest rate in the state at 1.5%, down from 2% in November, but up from 1.4% in December of 2021.
All 35 of Wisconsin’s largest communities recorded unemployment rate declines between November and December.
Rock County
Rock County ended 2022 with its lowest unemployment rate of the year. The county recorded an unemployment rate of 2.6% in December, down from 3.1% in November and 2.8% in December of 2021.
Rock County started the year with a jobless rate of 3.7% in January and the county hit its highest unemployment rate in March at 4.1%.
Nearby Walworth County had an unemployment rate of 2.2% in December, down from 2.5% in November, and unchanged from 2.2% in December of 2021.
Jefferson County had an unemployment rate of 2% in December, down from 2.3% in November, but unchanged from 2% in December of 2021.
Iron County had the highest unemployment rate among Wisconsin’s 72 counties at 6% in December, up from 4.7% in November and up from 4.6% in December of 2021.
Dane County had the lowest unemployment rate in Wisconsin at 1.6% in December, down from 2% in November, but unchanged from 1.6% in December of 2021.
Of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, 44 recorded unemployment rate declines between November and December while 27 recorded unemployment rate increases and one recorded a rate that remained unchanged.
The statewide unemployment rate was 3.2% in December, down slightly from 3.3% in November.
The national unemployment rate was 3.5% in December, down slightly from 3.6% in November.
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