CHICAGO–A majority of Illinois’ metropolitan (metro) areas experienced increases in their over-the-year unemployment rate and half of the metro areas had increases in nonfarm jobs, according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
“While some metro areas saw job growth, too many didn’t,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “Key structural reforms can help the state grow more jobs as we sharpen our efforts to help unemployed job-seekers get back to work.”
Illinois businesses added jobs in seven metro areas, in which the largest increases were seen in: Lake-Kenosha (+2.2 percent, +9,000), Rockford (+1.6 percent, +2,400), and Elgin (+1.2 percent, +3,000). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division increased (+1.3 percent or +45,900). Illinois businesses lost jobs in seven metro areas including Bloomington (-2.9 percent, -2,800), Carbondale-Marion (-1.6 percent, -900), and the Quad Cities (-1.5 percent, -2,700). The industry sectors recording job growth in the majority of metro areas were: Education and Health Services (12 of 14), Retail Trade (10 of 14), Leisure and Hospitality (nine of 14), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (eight of 14).
Not seasonally adjusted data compares May 2016 with May 2015. The not seasonally adjusted Illinois rate was 5.6 percent in May 2016 and stood at 12.2 percent at its peak in this economic cycle in January 2010. Nationally, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.5 percent in May 2016 and 10.6 percent in January 2010 at its peak. The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and looking for work, and is not tied to collecting unemployment insurance benefits.
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
| Metropolitan Area | May2016 | May2015 | Over-the-Year Change |
| Bloomington | 5.2% | 4.5% | 0.7 |
| Carbondale-Marion | 6.1% | 5.6% | 0.5 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 5.1% | 4.8% | 0.3 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 5.5% | 5.9% | -0.4 |
| Danville | 7.3% | 6.5% | 0.8 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 5.4% | 5.2% | 0.2 |
| Decatur | 6.8% | 6.5% | 0.3 |
| Elgin | 5.3% | 5.2% | 0.1 |
| Kankakee | 6.5% | 6.3% | 0.2 |
| Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI | 4.9% | 4.9% | 0.0 |
| Peoria | 6.5% | 5.8% | 0.7 |
| Rockford | 6.6% | 6.3% | 0.3 |
| Springfield | 4.8% | 4.8% | 0.0 |
| St. Louis (IL-Section) | 5.8% | 5.6% | 0.2 |
| Illinois Statewide | 5.6% | 5.7% | -0.1 |
| * Data subject to revision. |
Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – May 2016
| Metropolitan Area | May 2016* |
May 2015** |
Over-the-Year Change |
| Bloomington MSA | 94,200 | 97,000 | -2,800 |
| Carbondale-Marion MSA | 56,400 | 57,300 | -900 |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 110,700 | 110,500 | 200 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,715,500 | 3,669,600 | 45,900 |
| Danville MSA | 29,300 | 29,700 | -400 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 182,800 | 185,500 | -2,700 |
| Decatur MSA | 51,400 | 51,700 | -300 |
| Elgin Metro Division | 260,700 | 257,700 | 3,000 |
| Kankakee MSA | 44,600 | 45,100 | -500 |
| Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 416,900 | 407,900 | 9,000 |
| Peoria MSA | 178,300 | 180,400 | -2,100 |
| Rockford MSA | 155,800 | 153,400 | 2,400 |
| Springfield MSA | 114,700 | 113,700 | 1,000 |
| Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 239,200 | 238,100 | 1,100 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,035,400 | 6,001,900 | 33,500 |
|
*Preliminary **Revised |
|||
