Madison, Wisconsin Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Madison fell 0.1 percentage points in December 2011 to 5.3%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.8 percentage points lower than the Wisconsin rate. The unemployment rate in Madison peaked in July 2009 at 6.5% and is now 1.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.1% in April 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Madison unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Wisconsin	7.1%	-0.2	-0.4
Madison	5.3%	-0.1	-0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Madison, Wisconsin, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Madison, Wisconsin Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Madison peaked in December 2009 at 22,572. There are now 4,373 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 17,637 in April 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 562. Madison employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Madison, Wisconsin) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Madison	18,199	-539	-454

Number of Unemployed Persons

Madison, Wisconsin Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Wisconsin Unemployment Rate	Madison Unemployment Rate	Madison Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	7.1%	5.3%	18,199
November 2011	8.7%	7.3%	5.4%	18,738
October 2011	8.9%	7.7%	5.6%	19,244
September 2011	9.0%	7.8%	5.6%	19,258
August 2011	9.1%	7.9%	5.5%	19,180
July 2011	9.1%	7.8%	5.5%	19,156
June 2011	9.1%	7.6%	5.4%	18,802
May 2011	9.0%	7.4%	5.2%	18,036
April 2011	9.0%	7.3%	5.1%	17,637
March 2011	8.9%	7.4%	5.2%	17,672
February 2011	9.0%	7.4%	5.3%	18,073
January 2011	9.1%	7.4%	5.3%	18,247