La Crosse unemployment decreasing - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) - Unemployment in La Crosse is declining, according to new numbers from the Department of Workforce Development.

In September, La Crosse was at 4.8 percent unemployment, down more than half a percentage point from the same time last year.

This is the La Crosse metropolitan area's lowest unemployment rate since the 2008 recession, according to the DWD.

Part of what's causing the trend is the local demand for jobs in healthcare, construction and welding, said Bill Brockmiller, a regional labor market analyst.

Local job centers are receiving calls from employers to help fill these positions, he said and expects this declining trend to continue as the holiday season nears.

"Seasonal hiring will start for the holiday season, that's kind of a give-in, but at the same time it looks to be a little stronger than it was last year, which was just a little stronger, in general, than the year before," Brockmiller said. "So, in those industries -- in retail and hospitality -- that'll be building."

Brockmiller said it's encouraging to see the hospitality industry doing well. It means more people are seeking out leisure, which could mean more people are investing in the local economy.