Unemployment Rates Down, Jobs Up in Most Metro Areas, Unchanged in One Compared to July 2020

SPRINGFIELD - The number of nonfarm jobs increased over-the-year in thirteen of the fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in July 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.

"Today's data is reflective that reopening and recovery is touching every corner of the state," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar.  "With the expiration of federal unemployment programs in a week and a half, IDES is focused on matching jobseekers with employers to continue to assist with statewide economic recovery."

The number of nonfarm jobs increased in thirteen Illinois metropolitan area and was unchanged in one; the Rockford MSA saw no change in total nonfarm jobs. The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+4.4%, +7,500), the Chicago Metro Division (+4.3%, +148,800) and the Peoria MSA (+4.3%, +6,800). The industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Leisure & Hospitality (fourteen areas); Transportation, Warehousing & Public Utilities, Other Services and Government (eleven areas each); Mining & Construction, Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade, Professional & Business Services and Educational &  Health Services (nine areas each).

Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in all 14 metropolitan areas; the metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Rockford MSA (-7.3 points to 8.7%), the Elgin Metro Division (-6.6 points to 5.6%) and the Decatur MSA (-6.2 points to 7.5%). The Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division unemployment rate fell -5.3 points to 8.0%.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) -July 2021

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

Metro East Highlights

The July 2021 unemployment rate for the Illinois Section of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area was 5.5 percent.  The over-the-year rate decreased -5.5 percentage points from the July 2020 rate of 11.0 percent. The data is not seasonally adjusted.

The labor force increased by +4,554 in July 2021 to 341,068, from 336,514 in July 2020. The number of employed individuals increased by +23,073 to 322,442 in July 2021 from 299,369 in July 2020. In July 2021, there were 18,626 unemployed people in the labor force. This is a decrease of
-18,519 compared to the 37,145 unemployed in July 2020.

The number of total nonfarm jobs was 227,600 compared to July 2020, which is an increase of +3,100.

Payrolls increased in Government (+1,200), Professional and Business Services (+1,100), Educational and Health Services (+1,000), Leisure and Hospitality (+700), Other Services (+400), and Retail Trade (+200). 

Employment declined in Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (-1,200), Mining and Construction (-100), Information (-100), and Financial Activities (-100).  No payroll changes were reported in Manufacturing or Retail Trade.

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.