Unemployment rates are one of the most frequently reported economic indicators and provide broad measure of a region's economic performance. When compared to other areas throughout the Midwest and the United States, the Captial Region had relatively low unemployment rates in 2004. Specifically, Dane County had one of the lowest annual rates in the United States, while Rock County was the only regional county withy an annual unemployment rate greater than the national average. Unemployment date are also useful in evaluating worker availability. Monthly and annual data are available from the state Department of Workforce Development and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Note that these unemployment statistics do not include people who are unemployed and not actively looking for employment, and people who are underemployed. Both of these worker classifications can provide additional sources of labor. For more date visit http://worknet.wisconsin.gov or http://www.bis.gov/lau/home.htm