Unemployment Rates Down, Jobs Up in Every Metro Area Compared to June 2020

SPRINGFIELD - The number of nonfarm jobs increased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in June 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 decreased over-the-year in all metro areas.

"As the state continues to recover from the pandemic, today's data highlights the economic progress made from a year ago," said Senior Advisor Andy Manar. "With reopening activities continuing to evolve, IDES is hard at work to provide reemployment services to those individuals who lost work and are looking to rejoin the workforce."

The number of nonfarm jobs increased in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas. The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Springfield MSA (+7.0%, +6,800), the Peoria MSA (+6.6%, +10,200), and the Lake-Kenosha IL-WI Metro (+5.8%, +22,300). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metro rose by +5.4% or +181,600. The industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Leisure and Hospitality (fourteen areas); Government (twelve areas); Mining and Construction, Retail Trade, and Other Services (eleven areas each); Transportation, Warehousing and Public Utilities (ten areas); Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade and Educational and Health Services (nine areas each); and Professional and Business Service (eight areas).

Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in all 14 metropolitan areas; the metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Elgin Metro (-7.6 points to 6.2%), the Peoria MSA (-7.2 points to 6.4%), the Rockford MSA (-7.0 points to 9.5%) and the Illinois section of St. Louis MSA (-7.0 points to 5.7%). The Chicago Metro unemployment rate fell -6.5 points to 9.2%.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) -June  2021

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

Central Illinois Highlights

Bloomington MSA: The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.4 percent in June 2021 from 10.8 percent in June 2020.

Over the year,  nonfarm  payroll  employment   increased   by   +2,800. The largest declines were reported in Financial Activities  (-900)  and  Professional-Business Services  (-100).  Leisure-Hospitality (+1,900), Construction (+600), Wholesale Trade (+400), and Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+300) had the largest payroll gains over the year.

Peoria MSA: The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 6.4 percent in June 2021 from 13.6 percent in June 2020.

Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased by +10,200. The largest declines were reported in Professional-Business Services (-500) and Manufacturing  (-500).  Leisure-Hospitality (+5,000), Educational-Health Services (+2,600), and Government (+1,600) had the largest payroll gains over the year.

Ottawa-Streator Area: The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 6.1 percent in June 2021 from 13.3 percent in June 2020. Over the year, nonfarm payrolls increased by +1,875. Construction-Mining (-300) posted declines. Leisure-Hospitality (+1,200), Government (+450), and Other Services (+225) had the largest payroll gains over the year.

Galesburg Area-Knox County: The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 6.9 percent in June 2021 from 12.6 percent in June 2020. Nonfarm payroll employment increased by +275. The largest declines were reported in Government  (-200) and Educational-Health Services   (-125)  sectors from a year ago. Leisure-Hospitality (+275) and Professional-Business Services (+250) had the largest payroll gains over the year.

Pontiac Area-Livingston County: The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.1 percent in June 2021 from 11.3 percent in June 2020.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased by +450. Information  (-125) and Educational-Health Services (-50) posted declines from a year ago. Government (+225), Manufacturing (+125), and Leisure-Hospitality (+125) had the largest payroll gains over the year.

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. The official monthly unemployment rate series for metro areas, counties and most cities begins in 1990. The official monthly nonfarm jobs series for metro areas begins in 1990 and for non-metropolitan counties it begins in 1999.