Department of Numbers

La Crosse-Onalaska, Wisconsin Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for La Crosse rose 0.2 percentage points in September 2023 to 2.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than the Wisconsin rate. The unemployment rate in La Crosse peaked in April 2020 at 12.1% and is now 9.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.1% in April 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.5 percentage points. You can also compare La Crosse unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
Wisconsin 3.1% +0.2 0.0
La Crosse 2.6% +0.2 +0.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: La Crosse, Wisconsin, National

La Crosse, Wisconsin monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

La Crosse, Wisconsin Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in La Crosse peaked in April 2020 at 8,975. There are now 6,928 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,615 in April 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 432. La Crosse employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in La Crosse, Wisconsin) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
La Crosse 2,047 +143 +85

Number of Unemployed Persons

La Crosse, Wisconsin Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Wisconsin
Unemployment Rate
La Crosse
Unemployment Rate
La Crosse
Unemployed
October
2023
3.9% 3.2%
September
2023
3.8% 3.1% 2.6% 2,047
August
2023
3.8% 2.9% 2.4% 1,904
July
2023
3.5% 2.6% 2.2% 1,734
June
2023
3.6% 2.5% 2.1% 1,664
May
2023
3.7% 2.4% 2.1% 1,618
April
2023
3.4% 2.4% 2.1% 1,615
March
2023
3.5% 2.5% 2.2% 1,671
February
2023
3.6% 2.7% 2.3% 1,781
January
2023
3.4% 2.9% 2.4% 1,863
December
2022
3.5% 3.0% 2.5% 1,937
November
2022
3.6% 3.0% 2.5% 1,945

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.