Wisconsin unemployment falls to 3.3% as employment rises in June

Wisconsin’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 3.3% in June as the state added employed people and nonfarm jobs, according to preliminary estimates released July 16 by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

The report put the number of employed Wisconsin residents at 3,030,100 in June 2026. That was 6,000 higher than in May and 16,600 above the June 2025 level.

Total nonfarm employment reached 3,041,000 jobs, an increase of 2,400 from the prior month. The state’s labor-force participation rate was 64.5%.

The figures provide the department’s latest statewide labor-market snapshot. They are preliminary estimates based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and are subject to revision.

Rate remains below national figure cited in release

Wisconsin’s 3.3% seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 0.9 percentage points below the 4.2% national rate cited in the department’s release.

The comparison places the state rate below the national figure for the same release, while the employment count and nonfarm-job total both moved upward from May. The report does not provide a full sector-by-sector explanation for the monthly changes, so the available data do not establish which industries accounted for the increase in employment or nonfarm jobs.

The June report measures several parts of the statewide labor market at once: the number of people employed, the unemployment rate, labor-force participation and total nonfarm jobs. In this release, all four indicators were reported for June 2026, with the employment and nonfarm-job measures showing month-to-month gains and the unemployment rate showing a decline.

What the preliminary report shows

The count of 3,030,100 employed people reflects the state’s June employment estimate. The increase of 6,000 from May is the report’s month-over-month change, while the gain of 16,600 compares June 2026 with June 2025. Those are separate comparisons and should not be treated as the same measure of growth.

Likewise, the nonfarm-job total of 3,041,000 is a June estimate, and the reported increase of 2,400 is measured against the preceding month. The department did not supply a complete industry breakdown in the material released with these statewide figures, limiting conclusions about where the monthly gain occurred.

The 64.5% labor-force participation rate is another component of the June statewide release. Alongside the 3.3% seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, it gives employers, workers and policymakers a current official reference point for the state labor market, rather than a final annual benchmark.

Revisions remain possible

The Department of Workforce Development said the June numbers are preliminary and based on Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. That status is important for businesses and public officials using the data: the reported employment count, job total, participation rate and unemployment rate may be revised as the underlying estimates are updated.

For now, the release shows a June labor market in which Wisconsin had more employed people than in May and a lower seasonally adjusted unemployment rate than the national figure cited by the state. It also shows nonfarm jobs above the prior month’s total, without attributing that change to a particular sector.

Sources

• BLS Data: Wisconsin June Employment Numbers Released; Unemployment Ticks Down to 3.3%, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development