The official unemployment rate (U-3) in Wisconsin in September was 7.8 percent. U-3 includes those people who do not have a job, are available for work, and have actively looked for work in the last four weeks. A broader measure (U-6) includes those people who want work and are available for work, but are discouraged and have not actively looked for employment in the past four weeks. It also includes involuntary part time workers, who are working less than 35 hours per week but want to work full time.   The U-6 unemployment rate in Wisconsin in September of this year was 15.2% .  That compares to 16.8% nationally, 14.1% in Minnesota, 18.0% in Illinois, and 21.3% in Michigan.

This information, second quarter 2010 unemployment rates for every state, including a brief explanation of each alternative measure are available at: http://www.bls.gov/lau/stalt.htm