Madison, Wisconsin Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Madison rose 0.1 percentage points in October 2018 to 2.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.8 percentage points lower than the Wisconsin rate. The unemployment rate in Madison peaked in January 2010 at 6.8% and is now 4.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.1% in April 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Madison unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.7%	0.0	-0.4
Wisconsin	3.0%	0.0	-0.2
Madison	2.2%	+0.1	-0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with October 2018 data as November 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 24,449. There are now 15,821 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 8,327 in May 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 301.

Unemployed Persons	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Madison	8,628	+261	-571

Number of Unemployed Persons

Madison, Wisconsin Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Wisconsin Unemployment Rate	Madison Unemployment Rate	Madison Unemployed
November 2018	3.7%	—	—	—
October 2018	3.7%	3.0%	2.2%	8,628
September 2018	3.7%	3.0%	2.1%	8,367
August 2018	3.9%	3.0%	2.3%	9,080
July 2018	3.9%	2.9%	2.3%	9,080
June 2018	4.0%	2.9%	2.3%	9,233
May 2018	3.8%	2.8%	2.1%	8,327
April 2018	3.9%	2.8%	2.1%	8,397
March 2018	4.1%	2.9%	2.2%	8,724
February 2018	4.1%	2.9%	2.2%	8,487
January 2018	4.1%	3.1%	2.2%	8,524
December 2017	4.1%	3.2%	2.2%	8,730