Press Release - Thursday, May 22, 2025
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Unemployment Down in 11 of 12 Illinois Metro Areas, 4 Hit Decades-Low for April
Illinois Section of St. Louis Metro Area Reaches Record Low Unemployment Rate for April
SPRINGFIELD - For the second month in a row, the unemployment rate decreased in eleven metro areas and increased in one over-the-year for the year end April 2025, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). The St. Louis (IL Section) metro area reached a record low unemployment rate for April at 2.9% while the Bloomington (2.8%), Elgin (3.5%), and Davenport- Moline-Rock Island (IL Section) metro areas reached decades low for April.
"With unemployment down year over year in nearly every metro area and some reaching decades low for April, Illinois continues to demonstrate strong economic momentum," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "These numbers reflect the impact of our continued investments in workforce development and our commitment to creating opportunities for both jobseekers and businesses across the state."
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Kankakee MSA (-1.4 points to 4.2%),
the Rockford MSA (-1.4 points to 4.2%), the Elgin Metro Division (-1.3 points to 3.5%), and the Lake County Metro Division (-1.3 points to 3.7%). The Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metropolitan Division reported the only increase (+0.5 point to 5.1%).
Over- the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in six metropolitan areas, decreased in five, and was unchanged in one. The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Elgin Metro Division (+1.2%, +3,600), the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+1.1%, +1,300), and the Rockford MSA (+0.8%, +1,200). Nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville- Schaumburg Metro Division were up +13,200 (+0.4%). The metro areas which posted the largest over-the-year decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Bloomington MSA (-2.4%, -2,300), the Illinois section of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA (-2.3%, -2,000), and the Decatur MSA (-2.1%, -1,000). Industries that saw job growth in the majority of the twelve metro areas included: Private Education and Health Services (ten areas); Mining and Construction and Government (seven areas each).
Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
|
Metropolitan Area |
April 2025* |
April 2024** | Over-the- Year Change |
| Bloomington | 2.8% | 3.4% | -0.6 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 2.8% | 3.8% | -1.0 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg | 5.1% | 4.6% | 0.5 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island (IL Section) | 4.1% | 5.0% | -0.9 |
| Decatur | 4.7% | 5.5% | -0.8 |
| Elgin | 3.5% | 4.8% | -1.3 |
| Kankakee | 4.2% | 5.6% | -1.4 |
| Lake | 3.7% | 5.0% | -1.3 |
| Peoria | 3.7% | 4.6% | -0.9 |
| Rockford | 4.2% | 5.6% | -1.4 |
| Springfield | 3.2% | 3.9% | -0.7 |
| St. Louis (IL Section) | 2.9% | 4.0% | -1.1 |
| Illinois Statewide | 4.5% | 4.6% | -0.1 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised | |||
Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - April 2025
| Metropolitan Area | April | April | Over-the-Year |
|
| 2025* | 2024** | Change |
| Bloomington | 94,800 | 97,100 | -2,300 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 124,400 | 123,100 | 1,300 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg | 3,783,800 | 3,770,600 | 13,200 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island (IL Section) | 86,800 | 88,800 | -2,000 |
| Decatur | 46,700 | 47,700 | -1,000 |
| Elgin | 296,800 | 293,200 | 3,600 |
| Kankakee | 42,900 | 42,900 | 0 |
| Lake | 341,300 | 342,400 | -1,100 |
| Peoria | 172,400 | 172,200 | 200 |
| Rockford | 146,200 | 145,000 | 1,200 |
| Springfield | 112,000 | 111,600 | 400 |
| St. Louis (IL Section) | 242,300 | 243,000 | -700 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,151,100 | 6,109,200 | 41,900 |
| *Preliminary | **Revised | |||
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates (percent) for Local Counties and Areas
|
Labor Market Area |
Apr 2025 |
Apr 2024 | Over-the- Year Change |
| Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, IL Metro Division | |||
| Cook County | 5.4 % | 4.8 % | 0.6 |
| DuPage County | 4.3 % | 3.8 % | 0.5 |
| Grundy County | 5.0 % | 4.5 % | 0.5 |
| McHenry County | 4.6 % | 4.1 % | 0.5 |
| Will County | 5.0 % | 4.6 % | 0.4 |
| Elgin, IL Metro Division | |||
| DeKalb County | 3.4 % | 4.4 % | -1.0 |
| Kane County | 3.7 % | 5.0 % | -1.3 |
| Kendall County | 3.3 % | 4.5 % | -1.2 |
| Lake County, IL Metro Division | |||
| Lake County | 3.7 % | 5.0 % | -1.3 |
| Kankakee, IL MSA | |||
| Kankakee County | 4.2 % | 5.6 % | -1.4 |
| Cities |
|
|
|
| Aurora City | 3.9 % | 4.6 % | -0.7 |
| Chicago City | 5.5 % | 4.9 % | 0.6 |
| Elgin City | 5.0 % | 6.4 % | -1.4 |
| Joliet City | 5.8 % | 5.4 % | 0.4 |
| Kankakee City | 5.9 % | 7.5 % | -1.6 |
| Naperville City | 4.0 % | 3.6 % | 0.4 |
Kankakee, IL MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to
4.2 percent in April 2025 from 5.6 percent in April 2024.
Total nonfarm employment in April 2025 was unchanged from a year ago. The Private Education-Health Services (+300), Government (+200) and Mining-Construction (+100) sectors had payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-200), Manufacturing (-100), Transportation-
Warehousing-Utilities (-100), Leisure-Hospitality (-100) and Wholesale Trade (-100) sectors had employment declines from a year ago.
Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, IL Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 5.1 percent in April 2025 from 4.6 percent in April 2024.
Total nonfarm employment increased +13,200 compared to April 2024. The Private Education-Health Services (+11,400), Leisure-Hospitality (+9,100), Government (+6,700), Financial Activities (+1,900) and Other Services (+1,800) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-13,200), Retail Trade (-2,200), Manufacturing
(-1,100), Wholesale Trade (-1,000) and Construction (-500) sectors had employment declines from a year ago.
Elgin, IL Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to
3.5 percent in April 2025 from 4.8 percent in April 2024.
Total nonfarm employment increased +3,600 compared to April 2024. The Private Education-Health Services (+1,800),
Government (+1,600), Retail Trade (+800), Construction
(+300), Financial Activities (+300) and Transportation- Warehousing-Utilities (+300) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. The Leisure-Hospitality (-1,100), Professional-Business Services (-400) and Manufacturing (- 300) sectors had employment declines from a year ago.
Lake County, IL Metro Division
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to
3.7 percent in April 2025 from 5.0 percent in April 2024.
Total nonfarm employment decreased -1,100 compared to April 2024. The Private Education-Health Services (+1,300),
Government (+900), Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+300) and Leisure-Hospitality (+200) sectors had payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-1,900), Financial Activities (-1,000) and Retail Trade (-600) sectors had the largest employment declines from a year ago.
Note: Monthly 2024 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2025, 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 2025 data compared to January 2024 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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