The Wausau area economy continued to improve in third quarter 2003.  The unemployment rate, although rising, is at a low 3.8 percent (Table 2), and total employment, based on the government's household survey increased by 2.3 percent (Table 3).  Similarly industrial sector employment, based on a government survey of employees, suggests that a 1 percent gain took place.  Almost all other indicators were positive.  The amount of construction activity was especially strong during third quarter 2003. 

Marathon county industrial sector employment is given in Table 7.  These employer based estimates show that total employment increased from 69.6 thousand to 70.2 thousand, or 0.9 percent from last year.  Most of the industrial sectors showed improvement from last year.  Only the transportation, utilities, and government sectors experienced declines in their payrolls.  During the same time, financial activities and construction, natural resources showed no change in their payrolls. 

Retailer confidence is presented in Table 8.  Each quarter the CWERB surveys a group of local merchants in order to gauge retail activity.  This group expressed a great deal of optimism.  They indicated that total sales and store traffic were appreciably higher than a year ago.  They were more optimistic about the future, believing that store traffic and sales would be markedly higher than last year's totals.  Considering the approaching Christmas selling season, these results bode well for the local retail scene. 

The help wanted advertising index fell from 66 to 56 over the course of the year (Table 9).  The mark of 56 means that there are 56 positions being advertised for every 100 positions in the base year.  Likewise, the U.S. index contracted from 41 to 37.  These indexes suggest that the labor markets are not nearly as robust as they once were for job seekers. 

Unemployment claim data for the Marathon county area is presented on a weekly average basis (Table 10).  New claims fell from 291 to 257, a decline of about 12 percent.  During third quarter, total claims decreased from 2,069 to 2,057, a drop of about 1 percent.  These measures of local family financial distress indicate a slight improvement in the area economy. 

Residential construction activity showed some huge gains taking place in the area (Table 11).  The number of permits issued jumped by 50 percent and the associated value of this activity by nearly 40 percent.  Likewise the number of housing permits rose by 34.3 percent.  Residential alteration activity also did well during third quarter 2003.  The number of permits grew by 13 percent.  But even more impressive was that the value of the alteration activity shot upwards by nearly 37 percent. 

Due to the volatile nature of nonresidential construction activity it is presented without percentage changes (Table 12).  The third quarter 2003 was a very good period for nonresidential building activity.  The number of permits issued was 18, and they were valued at $28.5 million.  Major projects during the quarter include the construction of an educational facility, a medical clinic, a financial institution, and an industrial firm.  The number of alteration permits was 41 and the estimated value of the activity was $4.7 million.  A very large alteration project is associated with a local medical facility.