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Jobs Up in All Metros, Unemployment Rates Down in Most Areas in May

Press Release - Friday, June 24, 2022

SPRINGFIELD - The unemployment rate decreased in eleven Illinois metropolitan areas, increased in one and was unchanged in another in May according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Jobs were up in all metro areas.

"The Pritzker administration is encouraged by Illinois' continued positive economic trajectory," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "We remain committed to providing the resources needed to support and strengthen the state's workforce."

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Chicago Metropolitan Division (+5.1%, +182,600), the Rockford MSA (+4.8%, +6,700), and the Bloomington MSA (+4.6%, +4,100). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Leisure & Hospitality (fourteen areas); Manufacturing and Other Services (thirteen areas each); Government (twelve areas); Professional & Business Services (eleven areas); Education & Health Services (ten areas); Mining and Construction and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (nine areas each); and Wholesale Trade (eight areas).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Chicago Metro Division (-2.6 points to 4.2%), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-1.5 points to 3.8%), the Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metro (-0.4 point to 4.3%) and the Springfield MSA (-0.4 point to 4.7%). The unemployment rate in the Kankakee MSA increased +0.2 point to 6.2%. The unemployment rate was unchanged in the Danville MSA and the Decatur MSA.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Metropolitan Area

May 2022*

May 2021**

Over-the-Year Change

Bloomington

4.1%

4.3%

-0.2

Carbondale-Marion

5.0%

5.2%

-0.2

Champaign-Urbana

4.3%

4.5%

-0.2

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights

4.2%

6.8%

-2.6

Danville

6.1%

6.1%

0.0

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

3.8%

5.3%

-1.5

Decatur

7.1%

7.1%

0.0

Elgin

5.1%

5.4%

-0.3

Kankakee

6.2%

6.0%

0.2

Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI

4.3%

4.7%

-0.4

Peoria

5.5%

5.6%

-0.1

Rockford

8.3%

8.4%

-0.1

Springfield

4.7%

5.1%

-0.4

St. Louis (IL-Section)

4.6%

4.8%

-0.2

Illinois Statewide

4.5%

6.1%

-1.6

* Preliminary  I  ** Revised

 

 

 
















Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - May 2022

Metropolitan Area

May

May

Over-the-Year

 

2022*

2021**

Change

Bloomington MSA

92,900

88,800

4,100

Carbondale-Marion MSA

56,600

55,000

1,600

Champaign-Urbana MSA

116,600

113,100

3,500

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division

3,752,600

3,570,000

182,600

Danville MSA

26,100

25,800

300

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA

185,700

178,300

7,400

Decatur MSA

48,900

47,700

1,200

Elgin Metro Division

255,200

244,200

11,000

Kankakee MSA

42,900

42,300

600

Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division

420,000

409,400

10,600

Peoria MSA

166,700

163,500

3,200

Rockford MSA

145,300

138,600

6,700

Springfield MSA

108,400

104,400

4,000

Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA

238,700

236,900

1,800

Illinois Statewide

6,042,800

5,794,000

248,800

*Preliminary | **Revised

 

 

 


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

Labor Market Area

May 2022

May 2021

Over the Year Change

 

 
   

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA

   

Henry County

4.6 %

4.4 %

0.2

   

Mercer County

4.0 %

4.2 %

-0.2

   

Rock Island County

4.7 %

5.2 %

-0.5

   

Cities

 

 

 

   

Galesburg City

6.9 %

6.5 %

0.4

   

Moline City

4.7 %

5.0 %

-0.3

   

Rock Island City

5.0 %

5.8 %

-0.8

   

Counties

 

 

 

   

Bureau County

4.8 %

4.2 %

0.6

   

Fulton County

5.2 %

4.9 %

0.3

   

Henderson County

3.8 %

3.5 %

0.3

   

Knox County

6.1 %

5.9 %

0.2

   

Stark County

4.9 %

4.9 %

0.0

   

Warren County

4.5 %

4.0 %

0.5

   

Whiteside County

4.4 %

4.5 %

-0.1

   

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 3.8 percent in May 2022 from 5.3 percent in May 2021. The last time the May rate was equal to or lower was in 2019 when it was 3.4 percent.
Total nonfarm employment increased +7,400 compared to May 2021.

Leisure-Hospitality (+3,100), Manufacturing (+1,600), Professional-Business Services (+1,500), and Retail Trade (+800) had the largest payroll gains over the year. The Educational-Health Services (-200) sector recorded employment declines over the year.

The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment. A person who exhausts benefits, or is ineligible, still will be reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.


Note: Monthly 2021 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2022, 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.


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