Unemployment Rates Up, Jobs Down in February for Every Metro Area

SPRINGFIELD - The number of nonfarm jobs decreased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in February, 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.

"As expected, the global, national, and state impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic are still very present and the effects continue to linger on the economy and the workforce," said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes.  "This is why the Pritzker administration is grateful the federal government acted quickly to roll out the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act with critical extensions and program continuity, and why IDES is committed to transitioning claimants between programs as seamlessly as possible to ensure individuals receive as little disruption to services during this uncertain period."

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 Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division    (-8.8%, -330,200), the Elgin Metro Division (-8.2%, -21,000) and the Kankakee MSA (-8.1%, -3,700). Three metro areas recorded their lowest total nonfarm jobs for the month of February 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 (+5.1 points to 8.8%), the Rockford MSA (+4.8 points to 9.7%) and the Decatur MSA (+4.0 points to 8.4%). The not seasonally adjusted Illinois unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in February 2021.  Nationally, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.6 percent in February 2021.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) -February 2021

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

Metro East Highlights

The February 2021 unemployment rate for the Illinois Section of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area was 5.6 percent.  The over-the-year rate increased +2.4 percentage points from the February 2020 rate of 3.2 percent. The data is not seasonally adjusted.

The labor force decreased by -15,550 to 326,219 in February 2021 from 341,769 in February 2020. The number of employed individuals decreased by -22,929 to 307,878 in February 2021 from 330,807 in February 2020. In February 2021, there were 18,341 unemployed people in the labor force. This is an increase of +7,379 compared to the 10,962 unemployed in February 2020.

The number of total nonfarm jobs was 225,300 compared to February 2020, which is a decrease of -12,400.

Employment declined in Leisure and Hospitality (-5,000), Educational and Health Services (-3,300), Other Services (-1,100), Mining and Construction (-900), Retail Trade (-600), Manufacturing (-500), Financial Activities (-500), Information (-300), and Wholesale Trade (-300).

Payrolls increased in Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities  (+2,400), and Professional and Business Services (+100).

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.