Press Release - Thursday, January 26, 2023
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Jobs Up in All 14 Metro Areas, Unemployment Rates Stable in December
SPRINGFIELD - Jobs increased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in December 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 in thirteen metropolitan areas and increased in one.
"For nearly two years, Illinois has seen consistent job growth across the state throughout industry sectors," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "IDES continues to help jobseekers and employers connect with one another as more people enter the labor force and look to take advantage of newly created and expanded job opportunities in the labor market."
The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Lake-Kenosha IL/WI Metro (+3.8%, +15,700), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+3.5%, +6,400), the Rockford MSA (+3.1%, +4,500) and the Chicago Metro Division (+2.9%, +108,800). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Manufacturing and Leisure and Hospitality (thirteen areas each); Other Services (twelve areas); Mining and Construction and Education and Health Services (eleven areas each); Government (ten areas); and Wholesale Trade (nine areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were in the Rockford MSA (-1.3 points to 5.4%) and the Decatur MSA (-1.0 point to 5.1%). The Chicago Metro Division unemployment rate increased +0.1 point to 4.3%. The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in 47 counties, increased in 43, and was unchanged in 12.
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
| Metropolitan Area | December 2022* | December 2021** | Over-the-Year Change |
| Bloomington | 3.1% | 3.4% | -0.3 |
| Carbondale-Marion | 3.7% | 4.1% | -0.4 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 3.2% | 3.4% | -0.2 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 4.3% | 4.2% | 0.1 |
| Danville | 4.8% | 5.0% | -0.2 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3.7% | 4.1% | -0.4 |
| Decatur | 5.1% | 6.1% | -1.0 |
| Elgin | 4.3% | 4.6% | -0.3 |
| Kankakee | 5.1% | 5.3% | -0.2 |
| Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI | 3.8% | 3.9% | -0.1 |
| Peoria | 4.2% | 4.6% | -0.4 |
| Rockford | 5.4% | 6.7% | -1.3 |
| Springfield | 3.6% | 4.0% | -0.4 |
| St. Louis (IL-Section) | 3.4% | 3.7% | -0.3 |
| Illinois Statewide | 4.2% | 4.2% | 0.0 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised |
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Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - December 2022
| Metropolitan Area | December | December | Over-the-Year |
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| 2022* | 2021** | Change |
| Bloomington MSA | 95,500 | 92,900 | 2,600 |
| Carbondale-Marion MSA | 58,500 | 58,000 | 500 |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 119,400 | 118,200 | 1,200 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,829,800 | 3,721,000 | 108,800 |
| Danville MSA | 26,400 | 26,100 | 300 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 188,500 | 182,100 | 6,400 |
| Decatur MSA | 49,200 | 48,400 | 800 |
| Elgin Metro Division | 257,100 | 251,800 | 5,300 |
| Kankakee MSA | 43,500 | 42,500 | 1,000 |
| Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 430,100 | 414,400 | 15,700 |
| Peoria MSA | 169,700 | 166,000 | 3,700 |
| Rockford MSA | 148,400 | 143,900 | 4,500 |
| Springfield MSA | 111,100 | 108,100 | 3,000 |
| Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 239,500 | 238,300 | 1,200 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,141,300 | 5,981,100 | 160,200 |
| *Preliminary |**Revised |
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Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
| Labor Market Area | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 | Over the Year Change |
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| Rockford MSA |
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| Boone County | 6.0 % | 6.9 % | -0.9 | ||
| Winnebago County | 5.3 % | 6.7 % | -1.4 | ||
| Cities |
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| Belvidere City | 7.6 % | 8.9 % | -1.3 | ||
| Freeport City | 4.8 % | 4.8 % | 0.0 | ||
| Rockford City | 6.1 % | 8.2 % | -2.1 | ||
| Counties |
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| Bureau County | 4.4 % | 4.1 % | 0.3 | ||
| Carroll County | 3.6 % | 3.5 % | 0.1 | ||
| DeKalb County | 3.8 % | 4.3 % | -0.5 | ||
| Henry County | 3.7 % | 3.7 % | 0.0 | ||
| Jo Daviess County | 3.6 % | 3.5 % | 0.1 | ||
| Kane County | 4.4 % | 4.7 % | -0.3 | ||
| Lee County | 3.8 % | 3.7 % | 0.1 | ||
| McHenry County | 3.5 % | 3.1 % | 0.4 | ||
| Ogle County | 4.7 % | 4.8 % | -0.1 | ||
| Stephenson County | 4.4 % | 4.4 % | 0.0 | ||
| Whiteside County | 3.7 % | 3.6 % | 0.1 |
Rockford MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.4 percent in December 2022 from 6.7 percent in December 2021.
Total nonfarm employment increased by +4,500 over the year.
The Educational-Health Services (+1,300), Retail Trade (+1,000), and Manufacturing (+1,000) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. The Professional-Business Services (-100) and Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (-100) sectors recorded employment declines over the year.
Ogle County
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.7 percent in December 2022 from 4.8 percent in December 2021.
Total nonfarm employment decreased by -250 over the year.
Government (+75) and Professional-Business Services (+50) had the largest payroll gains over the year. The Trade-Transportation-Utilities (-275), Manufacturing (-50), and Financial Activities (-50) sectors recorded the largest employment declines over the year.
Stephenson County
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.4 percent in December 2022 was unchanged from the December 2021 level.
Total nonfarm employment increased by +50 over the year.
Government (+175) and Leisure-Hospitality (+75) had the largest payroll gains over the year. Manufacturing (-125) and Construction (-50) sectors recorded the largest employment declines over the year.
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.
Disclaimer: The data contained in the metro area employment numbers press releases are not seasonally adjusted, and therefore are subject to seasonal fluctuations due to factors such as changes in weather, harvests, major holidays, and school schedules. Current monthly metro data should be compared to the same month from prior years (January 2022 data compared to January 2021 data) as data for these months have similar seasonal patterns. Comparisons should not be made to data for the immediate previous month or other previous non-matching months, as any changes in the data within these time periods may be the result of seasonal fluctuations and not economic factors.
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