CHICAGO–Unemployment rates decreased over-the-year in July in all of Illinois’s metropolitan areas, according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Data also show nonfarm jobs increased in ten of the metropolitan areas.

“The number of employed people increased in all metro areas, which contributed to the decrease in the unemployment rate,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “This has driven the unemployment rate down to near record lows across the state. In fact, the Chicago metro area had its lowest July unemployment rate on record.”

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Illinois businesses added jobs in ten metro areas, with the largest increases in: Kankakee (+5.9 percent, +2,700), Elgin (+2.0 percent, +5,100), and Champaign-Urbana (+1.5 percent, +1,600). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division increased (+1.2 percent or +46,500). Illinois businesses lost jobs in three metro areas: Carbondale-Marion (-0.7 percent, -400), Danville (-0.4 percent, -100), and Bloomington (-0.3 percent, -300).

The industry sectors recording job growth in the majority of metro areas included Leisure and Hospitality (12 of 14), Manufacturing (10 of 14), Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (10 of 14), Professional and Business Services (10 of 14), and Education and Health Services (8 of 14).

Not seasonally adjusted data compares July 2018 with July 2017. The not seasonally adjusted Illinois rate was 4.3 percent in July 2018 and stood at 12.2 percent at its peak in this economic cycle in January 2010. Nationally, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in July 2018 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

July 2018

July 2017

Over-the-Year Change

Bloomington

4.2%

4.3%

-0.1

Carbondale-Marion

4.9%

5.0%

-0.1

Champaign-Urbana

4.5%

4.6%

-0.1

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights

4.1%

5.3%

-1.2

Danville

5.9%

6.8%

-0.9

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

3.7%

4.2%

-0.5

Decatur

5.6%

5.7%

-0.1

Elgin

4.4%

4.6%

-0.2

Kankakee

4.7%

5.1%

-0.4

Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI

4.0%

4.2%

-0.2

Peoria

4.9%

5.5%

-0.6

Rockford

5.0%

5.6%

-0.6

Springfield

4.0%

4.3%

-0.3

St. Louis (IL-Section)

4.6%

4.9%

-0.3

Illinois Statewide

4.3%

5.1%

-0.8

* Data subject to revision.

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – July 2018

Metropolitan Area

July

2018*

July

2017**

Over-the-Year Change

Bloomington MSA

91,900

92,200

-300

Carbondale-Marion MSA

56,200

56,600

-400

Champaign-Urbana MSA

108,000

106,400

1,600

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division

3,812,000

3,765,500

46,500

Danville MSA

28,000

28,100

-100

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA

186,700

186,100

600

Decatur MSA

51,600

50,900

700

Elgin Metro Division

263,100

258,000

5,100

Kankakee MSA

48,700

46,000

2,700

Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division

429,000

425,600

3,400

Peoria MSA

172,000

171,500

500

Rockford MSA

152,100

151,100

1,000

Springfield MSA

113,100

113,100

0

Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA

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237,200

234,800

2,400

Illinois Statewide

6,151,300

6,075,400

75,900

*Preliminary **Revised

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates (percent) for Local Counties and Areas

Labor Market Area

July

2018

July

2017

Over-the-Year Change

IL Section of St. Louis MSA

4.6%

4.9%

-0.3%

Bond

4.1%

4.4%

-0.3%

Calhoun

4.5%

5.0%

-0.5%

Clinton

3.4%

3.5%

-0.1%

Jersey

4.4%

4.8%

-0.4%

Macoupin

4.6%

4.8%

-0.2%

Madison

4.5%

4.9%

-0.4%

Monroe

3.3%

3.4%

-0.1%

St. Clair

5.1%

5.3%

-0.2%

Cities

Alton

6.1%

7.1%

-1.0%

Belleville

5.2%

5.7%

-0.5%

Collinsville

4.7%

5.1%

-0.4%

East St. Louis

8.8%

8.3%

0.5%

Edwardsville

3.6%

3.6%

0.0%

Granite City

5.5%

5.8%

-0.3%

O’Fallon

4.5%

4.4%

0.1%

Counties

Greene

4.6%

5.2%

-0.6%

Randolph

4.6%

4.7%

-0.1%

Washington

3.7%

3.1%

0.6%

Other Areas

LWA 21

4.5%

4.8%

-0.3%

LWA 22

4.5%

4.9%

-0.4%

LWA 24

4.6%

4.8%

-0.2%

Southwestern Economic
Development Region

4.5%

4.8%

-0.3%

Metro East Highlights

Help Wanted

Area employers advertised for 5,900 openings in July and approximately 82 percent sought full-time employment, according to Help Wanted OnLine data compiled by the Conference Board. It is a global, independent business membership and research association. Employers actually need more workers than the help wanted ad indicates because some industries, such as construction, typically do not advertise job openings.

The July 2018 unemployment rate for the Illinois Section of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area was 4.6 percent, a decrease of (0.3%) from the July 2017 rate of 4.9 percent. The data is not seasonally adjusted.

The number of employed individuals increased by +7,056 to 334,568 in July 2018 from 327,512 in July 2017. The labor force increased by +6,238 to 350,574 in July 2018 from 344,336 in July 2017. In July 2018, there were 16,006 unemployed people in the labor force. This is a decrease of
818 compared to the July 2017 total unemployed, 16,824.

Over the year, nonfarm payrolls increased by (+2,400).

Employment increased in Manufacturing (+900), Wholesale Trade (+800), Retail Trade (+400), Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (+300), and Leisure and Hospitality (+200) in July 2018 compared to July 2017.

Decreases in employment over the year included Financial Activities (-200), Educational and Health Services (-100), Mining and Construction (-100), and Other Services (-100).

Payrolls in Information and Government remained stable with no change over the year.

Note:

  • Monthly 2017 unemployment rates and total non-farm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February 2018, as required by the U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (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.
  • LWA— Local Workforce Area 21 is composed of Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Montgomery, Morgan, Scott and
    Shelby Counties.
    LWA— Local Workforce Area 22 is composed of Bond and Madison Counties.
    LWA— Local Workforce Area 24 is composed of Clinton, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington Counties.

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