Press Release - Thursday, September 21, 2023
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Jobs Up in Most Metro Areas in August
SPRINGFIELD - Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in eleven metropolitan areas, decreased in two and was unchanged in one for the year ending August 2023, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). Over-the-year, the unemployment rate increased in thirteen metropolitan areas and decreased in one.
"Steady, consistent job growth statewide continues to boost a strengthening Illinois economy," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "A growing labor market and newly created jobs are giving workers and jobseekers the opportunity to reenter the workforce and pivot career choices that better suit the talent and diversity of the state workforce."
The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Elgin Metro (+2.5 %, +6,400), the Danville MSA (+2.2%, +600), and the Springfield MSA (+2.0%, +2,200). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metro were up +0.9% or +35,700. Total nonfarm jobs were down in the Kankakee MSA (-0.5%, -200), and the Rockford MSA (-0.2%, -300) and unchanged in the Decatur MSA. Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metros included: Education & Health Services (thirteen areas); Leisure & Hospitality (twelve areas); and Government (eleven areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Danville MSA (+2.0 points to 7.1%), the Rockford MSA (+1.9 points to 7.4%), and the Decatur MSA (+1.7 points to 7.2%). The only metro area with an unemployment rate decrease was the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division (-0.2 percentage point to 5.0%).
Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
| Metropolitan Area | August 2023* | August 2022** | Over-the-Year Change |
| Bloomington | 5.0% | 3.7% | 1.3 |
| Carbondale-Marion | 5.4% | 4.3% | 1.1 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 5.5% | 4.1% | 1.4 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 5.0% | 5.2% | -0.2 |
| Danville | 7.1% | 5.1% | 2.0 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 4.6% | 3.7% | 0.9 |
| Decatur | 7.2% | 5.5% | 1.7 |
| Elgin | 5.8% | 4.2% | 1.6 |
| Kankakee | 6.8% | 5.3% | 1.5 |
| Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI | 5.4% | 3.8% | 1.6 |
| Peoria | 5.8% | 4.3% | 1.5 |
| Rockford | 7.4% | 5.5% | 1.9 |
| Springfield | 5.1% | 4.0% | 1.1 |
| St. Louis (IL-Section) | 5.2% | 4.0% | 1.2 |
| Illinois Statewide | 5.3% | 4.8% | 0.5 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised |
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Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted)- August 2023
| Metropolitan Area | August | August | Over-the-Year |
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| 2023* | 2022** | Change |
| Bloomington MSA | 97,000 | 95,500 | 1,500 |
| Carbondale-Marion MSA | 57,100 | 56,500 | 600 |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 114,100 | 112,500 | 1,600 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,832,300 | 3,796,600 | 35,700 |
| Danville MSA | 27,600 | 27,000 | 600 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 184,000 | 182,900 | 1,100 |
| Decatur MSA | 48,600 | 48,600 | 0 |
| Elgin Metro Division | 266,500 | 260,100 | 6,400 |
| Kankakee MSA | 42,500 | 42,700 | -200 |
| Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 425,400 | 422,700 | 2,700 |
| Peoria MSA | 172,500 | 171,100 | 1,400 |
| Rockford MSA | 146,600 | 146,900 | -300 |
| Springfield MSA | 111,500 | 109,300 | 2,200 |
| Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 239,500 | 238,200 | 1,300 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,153,700 | 6,076,000 | 77,700 |
| *Preliminary | **Revised |
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Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
| Labor Market Area | Aug 2023 | Aug 2022 | Over the Year Change |
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| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division | |||||
| Cook County | 5.2 % | 5.5 % | -0.3 | ||
| DuPage County | 4.0 % | 4.1 % | -0.1 | ||
| Grundy County | 5.1 % | 5.0 % | 0.1 | ||
| Kendall County | 4.5 % | 4.5 % | 0.0 | ||
| McHenry County | 4.2 % | 4.2 % | 0.0 | ||
| Will County | 4.9 % | 5.0 % | -0.1 | ||
| Elgin, IL Metro Division |
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| DeKalb County | 5.7 % | 4.3 % | 1.4 | ||
| Kane County | 5.8 % | 4.2 % | 1.6 | ||
| Lake & Kenosha, IL-WI Metro Division |
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| Lake County (IL) | 5.7 % | 3.9 % | 1.8 | ||
| Kankakee, IL MSA |
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| Kankakee County | 6.8 % | 5.3 % | 1.5 | ||
| Cities |
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| Aurora City | 5.5 % | 4.5 % | 1.0 | ||
| Chicago City | 5.5 % | 5.9 % | -0.4 | ||
| Elgin City | 5.6 % | 4.7 % | 0.9 | ||
| Joliet City | 5.5 % | 5.8 % | -0.3 | ||
| Kankakee City | 9.2 % | 7.3 % | 1.9 | ||
| Naperville City | 4.4 % | 4.2 % | 0.2 | ||
* Unemployment rates for cities with total population of 25,000 or more can be found at https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/lmi/Pages/Local_Area_Unemployment_Statistics.aspx
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.0 percent in August 2023 from 5.2 percent in August 2022.
Total nonfarm employment increased +35,700 compared to August 2022. The Educational-Health Services (+29,000) and Leisure-Hospitality (+25,000) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. The largest employment declines were reported in Professional-Business Services (-17,300), Information (-4,600), and Retail Trade (-4,500).
Elgin, IL Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 5.8 percent in August 2023 from 4.2 percent in August 2022.
Total nonfarm employment increased +6,400 compared to August 2022. Professional-Business Services (+6,000), Educational-Health Services (+1,600), and Government (+1,200) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. The Retail Trade (-1,200) and Construction (-1,100) sectors had the largest employment declines from a year ago.
Lake & Kenosha Counties, IL-WI Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 5.4 percent in August 2023 from 3.8 percent in August 2022.
Total nonfarm employment increased +2,700 compared to August 2022. Educational-Health Services (+2,500) and Leisure-Hospitality (+2,200) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. Professional-Business Services (-900), Manufacturing (-600), and Financial Activities (-500) sectors had the largest employment declines from a year ago.
Kankakee, IL MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 6.8 percent in August 2023 from 5.3 percent in August 2022.
Total nonfarm employment decreased -200 compared to August 2022. Leisure-Hospitality (+200), Professional-Business Services (+100), Retail Trade (+100), and Government (+100) sectors had payroll gains over the year. The Manufacturing (-300), Construction (-200), Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (-100), and Wholesale Trade (-100) sectors recorded employment declines compared to one year ago.
Note: Monthly 2022 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2023, 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 (February 2023 data compared to February 2022 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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