Press Release - Thursday, January 30, 2025
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Unemployment Down in Most Metro Areas in December
SPRINGFIELD - Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in nine areas, increased in three and was unchanged in two for the year ending December 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, total nonfarm jobs increased in six metropolitan areas, decreased in five, and was unchanged or nearly unchanged in three.
"The Illinois labor force continues to see growth as payroll jobs remain steady and the market is ripe with employment opportunities across industry sectors," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "IDES is focused on providing the critical job matching services to employers and businesses who are eager to take advantage of the state's economy."
The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+3.7%, +4,600), the Carbondale-Marion MSA (+1.9%, +1,100), and the Springfield MSA (+1.7%, +1,800). The metro areas which posted the largest over-the-year decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Peoria MSA (-1.2%, -2,000), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-0.9%, -1,700), and the Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metro (-0.8%, -3,600). Total nonfarm jobs were unchanged or nearly unchanged in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division, the Danville MSA and the IL part of the St. Louis MSA. Industries that saw job growth in most of the metro areas included: Private Education and Health Services (fourteen areas); Government (twelve areas); and Other Services (eleven areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Rockford MSA (-1.0 percentage point to 4.9%), the Kankakee MSA (-0.8 point to 5.0%), and the Champaign MSA (-0.6 point to 3.3%). The metro areas with unemployment rate increases were the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+0.6 point to 4.5%), the Chicago Metro Division (+0.5 point to 4.3%), and the Peoria MSA (+0.1 point to 4.8%). There was no unemployment rate change in the Bloomington and Danville MSAs.
Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
| Metropolitan Area | December 2024* | December 2023** | Over-the-Year Change |
| Bloomington | 3.7% | 3.7% | 0.0 |
| Carbondale-Marion | 3.7% | 4.1% | -0.4 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 3.3% | 3.9% | -0.6 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 4.3% | 3.8% | 0.5 |
| Danville | 5.4% | 5.4% | 0.0 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 4.5% | 3.9% | 0.6 |
| Decatur | 5.3% | 5.7% | -0.4 |
| Elgin | 4.6% | 5.0% | -0.4 |
| Kankakee | 5.0% | 5.8% | -0.8 |
| Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI | 4.3% | 4.7% | -0.4 |
| Peoria | 4.8% | 4.7% | 0.1 |
| Rockford | 4.9% | 5.9% | -1.0 |
| Springfield | 3.9% | 4.0% | -0.1 |
| St. Louis (IL-Section) | 3.5% | 4.0% | -0.5 |
| Illinois Statewide | 4.3% | 4.2% | 0.1 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised |
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Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - December 2024
| Metropolitan Area | December | December | Over-the-Year |
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| 2024* | 2023** | Change |
| Bloomington MSA | 100,200 | 100,500 | -300 |
| Carbondale-Marion MSA | 60,300 | 59,200 | 1,100 |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 127,400 | 122,800 | 4,600 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,835,600 | 3,837,500 | -1,900 |
| Danville MSA | 26,800 | 26,800 | 0 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 181,600 | 183,300 | -1,700 |
| Decatur MSA | 47,900 | 47,700 | 200 |
| Elgin Metro Division | 265,600 | 265,900 | -300 |
| Kankakee MSA | 44,000 | 43,600 | 400 |
| Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 421,000 | 424,600 | -3,600 |
| Peoria MSA | 169,900 | 171,900 | -2,000 |
| Rockford MSA | 148,600 | 146,800 | 1,800 |
| Springfield MSA | 109,800 | 108,000 | 1,800 |
| Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 244,500 | 244,600 | -100 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,190,200 | 6,144,300 | 45,900 |
| *Preliminary | **Revised |
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Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
| Labor Market Area | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Over-the-Year Change |
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| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division | |||||
| Cook County | 4.5 % | 4.0 % | 0.5 | ||
| DuPage County | 3.4 % | 3.1 % | 0.3 | ||
| Grundy County | 4.9 % | 4.4 % | 0.5 | ||
| Kendall County | 3.9 % | 3.5 % | 0.4 | ||
| McHenry County | 4.0 % | 3.5 % | 0.5 | ||
| Will County | 4.4 % | 3.9 % | 0.5 | ||
| Elgin, IL Metro Division |
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| DeKalb County | 4.1 % | 4.5 % | -0.4 | ||
| Kane County | 4.7 % | 5.1 % | -0.4 | ||
| Lake & Kenosha, IL-WI Metro Division |
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| Lake County (IL) | 4.5 % | 5.1 % | -0.6 | ||
| Kankakee, IL MSA |
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| Kankakee County | 5.0 % | 5.8 % | -0.8 | ||
| Cities |
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| Aurora City | 4.3 % | 4.4 % | -0.1 | ||
| Chicago City | 4.7 % | 4.2 % | 0.5 | ||
| Elgin City | 6.4 % | 6.7 % | -0.3 | ||
| Joliet City | 5.6 % | 4.8 % | 0.8 | ||
| Kankakee City | 7.2 % | 8.5 % | -1.3 | ||
| Naperville City | 3.2 % | 3.1 % | 0.1 | ||
* 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 4.3 percent in December 2024 from 3.8 percent in December 2023.
Total nonfarm employment decreased -1,900 compared to December 2023. The Private Education-Health Services (+11,000), Government (+8,200) and Other Services (+7,600) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. The largest employment declines were in Professional-Business Services (-18,800), Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (-3,000), Leisure-Hospitality (-2,700) and Construction (-2,500).
Elgin, IL Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.6 percent in December 2024 from 5.0 percent in December 2023.
Total nonfarm employment decreased -300 compared to December 2023. The Retail Trade (+900), Private Education-Health Services (+700) and Government (+700) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-1,400), Leisure-Hospitality (-1,200) and Manufacturing (-400) sectors had employment declines from a year ago.
Lake & Kenosha Counties, IL-WI Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.3 percent in December 2024 from 4.7 percent in December 2023.
Total nonfarm employment decreased -3,600 compared to December 2023. The Private Education-Health Services (+1,300), Government (+900), Wholesale Trade (+200) and Other Services (+200) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-3,500), Financial Activities (-900), Leisure-Hospitality (-800) and Manufacturing (-600) sectors had the largest employment declines from a year ago.
Kankakee, IL MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.0 percent in December 2024 from 5.8 percent in December 2023.
Total nonfarm employment increased +400 compared to December 2023. The Private Education-Health Services (+300), Government (+300) and Other Services (+100) sectors had payroll gains over-the-year. The Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (-100), Professional-Business Services (-100) and Manufacturing (-100) sectors recorded a declines in employment 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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