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Unemployment Rates Up, Jobs Down in January for All State Metro Areas

Press Release - Thursday, March 18, 2021

SPRINGFIELD - The number of nonfarm jobs decreased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in January, according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). The unemployment rate increased over-the-year in all metro areas. The official, BLS approved sub-state unemployment rate and nonfarm jobs series begins in 1990. Data reported prior to 1990 are not directly comparable due to updates in methodology.

"The Pritzker administration remains steadfast in providing support and services to individuals impacted by this pandemic more than a year later," said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes. "As IDES works to rollout the new extensions provided in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to ensure eligible claimants have access to benefits, they will continue to provide job-matching resources to individuals as the economy works to recover statewide."

The number of nonfarm jobs decreased in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas.  The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Kankakee MSA (-9.8%, -4,500), the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division (-9.1%, -342,700) and the Elgin Metropolitan Division (-8.4%, -21,400). Three metro areas recorded their lowest total nonfarm jobs for the month of January on record (dating back to 1990).

Over-the-year, the unemployment rate increased in all 14 metropolitan areas; the metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division (+5.3 points to 9.1%), the Decatur MSA (+5.1 points to 9.9%) and the Springfield MSA (+3.9 points to 7.6%). The not seasonally adjusted Illinois unemployment rate was 8.5 percent in January 2021.  Nationally, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.8 percent in January 2021.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Metropolitan Area

January 2021*

January 2020**

Over-the-Year Change

Bloomington

6.3%

3.2%

3.1

Carbondale-Marion

6.9%

3.7%

3.2

Champaign-Urbana

6.3%

3.1%

3.2

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights

9.1%

3.8%

5.3

Danville

8.0%

4.6%

3.4

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

6.8%

4.6%

2.2

Decatur

9.9%

4.8%

5.1

Elgin

8.2%

4.5%

3.7

Kankakee

8.7%

5.1%

3.6

Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI

7.1%

4.1%

3.0

Peoria

8.2%

4.7%

3.5

Rockford

11.1%

7.6%

3.5

Springfield

7.6%

3.7%

3.9

St. Louis (IL-Section)

6.6%

3.6%

3.0

Illinois Statewide

8.5%

4.0%

4.5

* Preliminary  I  ** Revised

 

 

 















Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) -January 2021

Metropolitan Area

January 2021*

January 2020**

Over-the-Year Change

Bloomington MSA

84,700

91,000

-6,300

Carbondale-Marion MSA

53,100

56,400

-3,300

Champaign-Urbana MSA

107,800

116,600

-8,800

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division

3,413,300

3,756,000

-342,700

Danville MSA

25,900

26,700

-800

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA

171,400

182,900

-11,500

Decatur MSA

45,800

49,500

-3,700

Elgin Metro Division

232,900

254,300

-21,400

Kankakee MSA

41,200

45,700

-4,500

Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division

387,200

412,300

-25,100

Peoria MSA

155,600

167,500

-11,900

Rockford MSA

135,900

147,300

-11,400

Springfield MSA

98,600

107,000

-8,400

Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA

224,200

236,500

-12,300

Illinois Statewide

5,532,000

6,032,500

-500,500

*Preliminary | **Revised

 

 

 


Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas

Labor Market Area

Jan 2021

Jan 2020

Over the Year Change

 
 

Mattoon-Charleston Area

 

 

 

 

Clark County

6.9 %

4.4 %

2.5

 

Coles County

6.6 %

3.3 %

3.3

 

Cumberland County

5.5 %

3.3 %

2.2

 

Douglas County

4.8 %

3.0 %

1.8

 

Edgar County

5.0 %

3.7 %

1.3

 

Moultrie County

5.0 %

2.9 %

2.1

 

Shelby County

5.7 %

3.9 %

1.8

 

Effingham Area

 

 

 

 

Clay County

7.3 %

4.7 %

2.6

 

Crawford County

6.6 %

4.1 %

2.5

 

Effingham County

5.2 %

3.0 %

2.2

 

Fayette County

7.1 %

4.4 %

2.7

 

Jasper County

5.8 %

4.2 %

1.6

 

Centralia - Mt. Vernon Area

 

 

 

Clinton County

4.6 %

3.1 %

1.5

 

Hamilton County

5.4 %

3.3 %

2.1

 

Jefferson County

7.5 %

4.0 %

3.5

 

Marion County

7.2 %

4.0 %

3.2

 

Washington County

4.0 %

2.3 %

1.7

 

Wayne County

5.9 %

4.2 %

1.7

 

Other Areas

 

 

 

 

LWIA 21

6.5 %

4.3 %

2.2

 

LWIA 23

6.3 %

3.7 %

2.6

 

LWIA 24

6.6 %

3.5 %

3.1

 

LWIA 25

7.1 %

4.0 %

3.1

 

LWIA 26

7.1 %

4.7 %

2.4

 

Southeastern EDR

6.3 %

3.7 %

2.6

 

South Central Illinois Highlights

Mattoon - Charleston Area

January 2021 total nonfarm employment decreased by -3,000 compared to one year ago.

Employment gains were posted in Construction (+75), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+50), Financial Activities (+25), and Information (+25).  No change was reported in Natural Resources and Mining.

Payrolls decreased in Educational and Health Services (-1,050), Manufacturing (-875), Leisure and Hospitality (-475), Professional and Business Services (-350), Government (-350), and Other Services (-25).

Effingham Area

Total nonfarm employment in January 2021 decreased by -1,325 compared to last year.

Employment gains were posted in Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+200), with no change reported in Government, Other Services and Construction.

Payrolls declined in Manufacturing (-500), Education and Health Services (-450), Leisure and Hospitality (-425), Natural Resources and Mining (-75), Information (-50), Professional and Business Services (-25), and Financial Activities (-25).

Centralia - Mt. Vernon Area

January total nonfarm employment decreased by -3,175 since January 2020.

Employment decreased in Educational and Health Services (-975), Leisure and Hospitality (-775), Manufacturing (-300), Government (-275), Construction(-200), Natural Resources and Mining (-200), Other Services (-175), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-125), Professional and Business Services (-100), Financial Activities (-50), and Information (-25).


Note: Monthly 2020 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2021, as required by the U.S. BLS.  Comments and tables distributed for prior metro area news releases should be discarded as any records or historical analysis previously cited may no longer be valid.


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