Wisconsin labor force participation rates are among highest in U.S., according to a report from the University of Wisconsin Extension.
Community Development Specialist Matt Kures said Wisconsin regularly ranks in the top 10 as a state for labor force participation rates for both men and women.
The participation rate for men of prime working age (25 to 54) in 2021 was 88.9 percent, good enough for ninth in the United States. The participation rate for women of prime working age in 2021 was 83.3 percent, which ranked fifth in the U.S.
“While state-level labor participation rates provide important perspectives, a state’s overall rate can mask variations that occur across counties and regions,” Kures wrote.
Kures said county-level labor force participation rates can be calculated using census data and reducing the margins of error through statistical analysis.
For prime working age men, 42 Wisconsin counties have labor force participation rates that are higher than the national rate, with 15 counties having a rate that is lower and another 15 not having a statistically significant difference. For women, 51 Wisconsin counties have a rate above the national average while only Forest and Clark counties are below.
The Upper Midwest, Great Plains, and Northeast states have clusters of counties where labor participation rates are above the national average for both men and women.
