Press Release - Thursday, September 26, 2024
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Jobs Up, Unemployment Down in Majority of Metro Areas in August
SPRINGFIELD - Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in eight metropolitan areas, decreased in five and was unchanged in one for the year ending August 2024, 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 decreased in nine areas, increased in four, and was unchanged in one.
"Stable, consistent job growth across the state continues to position jobseekers and employers to leverage new and developing opportunities," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "IDES and its essential workforce partners are working throughout the state to offer critical employment services to enthusiastic jobseekers."
The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+4.7%, +5,400), the Carbondale-Marion MSA (+1.6%, +900), the Bloomington MSA (+0.7%, +700), and the Illinois section of the St. Louis MSA (+0.7%, +1,600). The metro areas which posted the largest over-the-year decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-1.4%, -2,600), the Elgin Metro Division (-0.9%, -2,300), and the Peoria MSA (-0.6%, -1,100). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division were almost unchanged (0.0%, -1,200). The Decatur MSA had no change in total nonfarm jobs.
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Rockford MSA (-1.0 percentage point to 6.0%), and the Decatur MSA (-0.5 percentage point to 6.3%). The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Chicago Metro Division (+0.7 point to 5.7%), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+0.5 point to 4.9%), and the Bloomington MSA (+0.2 point to 4.8%). There was no unemployment rate change in the Carbondale-Marion MSA.
Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
| Metropolitan Area | August 2024* | August 2023** | Over-the-Year Change |
| Bloomington | 4.8% | 4.6% | 0.2 |
| Carbondale-Marion | 5.0% | 5.0% | 0.0 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 4.8% | 5.1% | -0.3 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 5.7% | 5.0% | 0.7 |
| Danville | 6.9% | 6.8% | 0.1 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 4.9% | 4.4% | 0.5 |
| Decatur | 6.3% | 6.8% | -0.5 |
| Elgin | 5.3% | 5.4% | -0.1 |
| Kankakee | 6.0% | 6.3% | -0.3 |
| Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI | 4.7% | 5.0% | -0.3 |
| Peoria | 5.4% | 5.5% | -0.1 |
| Rockford | 6.0% | 7.0% | -1.0 |
| Springfield | 4.6% | 4.8% | -0.2 |
| St. Louis (IL-Section) | 4.6% | 4.9% | -0.3 |
| Illinois Statewide | 5.5% | 5.1% | 0.4 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised |
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Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - August 2024
| Metropolitan Area | August | August | Over-the-Year |
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| 2024* | 2023** | Change |
| Bloomington MSA | 99,000 | 98,300 | 700 |
| Carbondale-Marion MSA | 58,200 | 57,300 | 900 |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 121,100 | 115,700 | 5,400 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,839,200 | 3,840,400 | -1,200 |
| Danville MSA | 26,600 | 26,500 | 100 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 179,700 | 182,300 | -2,600 |
| Decatur MSA | 47,900 | 47,900 | 0 |
| Elgin Metro Division | 261,300 | 263,600 | -2,300 |
| Kankakee MSA | 43,100 | 43,000 | 100 |
| Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 423,200 | 424,900 | -1,700 |
| Peoria MSA | 170,900 | 172,000 | -1,100 |
| Rockford MSA | 146,500 | 146,200 | 300 |
| Springfield MSA | 109,900 | 109,200 | 700 |
| Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 241,600 | 240,000 | 1,600 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,162,800 | 6,127,200 | 35,600 |
| *Preliminary | **Revised |
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Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
| Labor Market Area | Aug 2024 | Aug 2023 | Over-the-Year Change |
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| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division | |||||
| Cook County | 6.0 % | 5.2 % | 0.8 | ||
| DuPage County | 4.7 % | 4.1 % | 0.6 | ||
| Grundy County | 5.9 % | 5.1 % | 0.8 | ||
| Kendall County | 5.1 % | 4.5 % | 0.6 | ||
| McHenry County | 4.8 % | 4.2 % | 0.6 | ||
| Will County | 5.6 % | 4.9 % | 0.7 | ||
| Elgin, IL Metro Division |
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| DeKalb County | 5.2 % | 5.3 % | -0.1 | ||
| Kane County | 5.3 % | 5.4 % | -0.1 | ||
| Lake & Kenosha, IL-WI Metro Division |
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| Lake County (IL) | 5.0 % | 5.3 % | -0.3 | ||
| Kankakee, IL MSA | |||||
| Kankakee County | 6.0 % | 6.3 % | -0.3 | ||
| Cities | |||||
| Aurora City | 5.5 % | 5.2 % | 0.3 | ||
| Chicago City | 6.4 % | 5.6 % | 0.8 | ||
| Elgin City | 5.5 % | 5.3 % | 0.2 | ||
| Joliet City | 6.4 % | 5.6 % | 0.8 | ||
| Kankakee City | 7.6 % | 8.6 % | -1.0 | ||
| Naperville City | 4.9 % | 4.4 % | 0.5 | ||
* 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 increased to 5.7 percent in August 2024 from 5.0 percent in August 2023.
Total nonfarm employment decreased -1,200 compared to August 2023. The Private Education-Health Services (+11,700), Manufacturing (+8,700), Other Services (+7,100) and Government (+6,800) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. The largest employment declines were in Professional-Business Services (-25,100), Retail Trade (-3,700), Information (-2,700) and Financial Activities (-2,500).
Elgin, IL Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.3 percent in August 2024 from 5.4 percent in August 2023.
Total nonfarm employment decreased -2,300 compared to August 2023. The Private Education-Health Services (+700), Other Services (+500) and Manufacturing (+300) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-2,400), Leisure-Hospitality (-1,200) and Government (-300) sectors had the largest employment declines from a year ago.
Lake & Kenosha Counties, IL-WI Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.7 percent in August 2024 from 5.0 percent in August 2023.
Total nonfarm employment decreased -1,700 compared to August 2023. Government (+1,700), Leisure-Hospitality (+1,300) and Private Education-Health Services (+1,000) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. Professional-Business Services (-3,900), Financial Activities (-1,000) and Retail Trade (-900) sectors had the largest employment declines from a year ago.
Kankakee, IL MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 6.0 percent in August 2024 from 6.3 percent in August 2023.
Total nonfarm employment increased +100 compared to August 2023. Government (+100), Manufacturing (+100), Other Services (+100), Leisure-Hospitality (+100) and Wholesale Trade (+100) sectors had payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-300) and Private Education-Health Services (-100) sectors recorded the only employment declines over-the-year.
Note: Monthly 2023 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2024, 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.
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 2024 data compared to January 2023 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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