Although exact numbers vary, most economist would agree that any unemployment rate below 3.0% should be considered “full employment”. Given just-released preliminary data on Wisconsin’s unemployment in the Metro, City and County levels, Sheboygan and surrounding areas remain in a shortage of available workers, with little change seen in the past year.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, the Sheboygan Metro Area recorded preliminary (not seasonally-adjusted) November Employment numbers at 63,300. The local workforce is up 300 from October, and 1,000 more than in 2022. After seasonal adjustments, the area workforce numbered 63,400, up 400 from October and 1,000 more than last year. But despite those increases in the overall workforce, unemployment rates have remained solidly below that 3% full-employment benchmark for over a year.
The Sheboygan Metro Area Unemployment Rate (not seasonally-adjusted) was a preliminary 2.3% in November, down 3-tenths of one percent from October, and one-tenth above October of 2022.
As for the City of Sheboygan, a 2.5% preliminary unemployment rate in November was down point-four percent from October, and compares with 2.3% last year. Sheboygan shares the 9th best unemployment ranking with Brookfield, Green Bay, Oak Creek, Oshkosh, Waukesha and Wauwatosa among Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities.
Sheboygan County followed an identical pattern as the City with October’s 2.6% rate falling in November to 2.3%, and up one-tenth from November of ‘22.
———STATE SUMMARY———
In brief, the nonseasonally adjusted data for Wisconsin shows:
• Metropolitan Statistical Areas: Preliminary November unemployment rates declined in all 12 Wisconsin metro areas over the month; the rates increased in 11 of 12 areas over the year, with La Crosse-Onalaska unchanged.
• Municipalities: Preliminary November 2023 unemployment rates declined in 32 of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities over the month; rates for the remaining three cities were unchanged over the same time; year-over-year rates increased in 32 of the state’s 35 largest cities and declined in the remaining three cities.
• Counties: Preliminary November 2023 unemployment rates decreased in 50 counties, increased in 12 counties, and were unchanged in 10 Wisconsin counties over the month; year-over-year rates decreased in four Wisconsin counties, remained unchanged in seven of Wisconsin’s 72 counties and increased in the remaining 61 counties.
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