Unemployment is up in most major Wisconsin cities and counties between January and February. The state Department of Workforce Development reported Wednesday that preliminary unemployment rates increased in 20 of the 32 largest cities and in 52 of 72 counties. The department says it is not unusual to see an increase in the local unemployment rates in the winter months because the numbers are not adjusted for seasonal variances. The city of Fond du Lac’s rate stayed the same at five percent. The Fond du Lac County rate is up a tenth of a percent to five percent. In Dodge County the unemployment rate increased from 5.5 to 5.7 percent. Last year between January and February nearly all cities and counties saw a spike in unemployment rates as well. Wisconsin’s statewide unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in February, lower than the national average of 5.5 percent and the lowest it’s been in Wisconsin since July 2008. Racine had the highest unemployment rate for a city in February at 7.9 percent.
