Langlade County’s unemployment rate dropped almost half-a-percentage-point between April and May, at a time when the rate in most mayor state cities crept up.
The state Department of Workforce Development this week reported that 21 state metro areas reported increases in unemployment while 11 cities saw rates drop or remain unchanged.
The situation is better in the northwoods, which traditionally lags the state, with the jobless rate falling or remaining static throughout the region.
In Langlade County, jobless numbers were at 8.5 percent for May, down from 8.9 percent in April. The May, 2011 rate was 9.3 percent.
Around the region, Oneida County saw a stunning decrease in jobless numbers, falling from 9.6 percent in April to 8.4 percent in May; Forest declined from 9.4 percent to 9.1 percent; Shawano remained static at 7.6 percent; and Lincoln fell a full percentage point to 9.1 percent.
Of the state’s 72 counties, unemployment rates declines in 36, stayed the same in six and went up in 30.
Menominee had the highest rate at 15.1 percent while Dane remained the jobs leader at 4.7 percent.
Statewide, unemployment for the month was 6.8 percent.