SPRINGFIELD – Alton and Edwardsville's unemployment rates have dipped considerably in a year-to-year March comparison from 2021 to 2022.

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Alton was at 5.3 percent compared to 8.5 percent a year ago, a 3.2 percent drop, while Edwardsville was at 2.98 percent compared to 3.8 percent a year ago, a 0.9 percent drop. Granite City was at 3.8 percent compared to 7.2 percent a year ago in March and East St. Louis was down in March 2022 to 7.0 percent unemployment rate from 12.4 percent in March 2021.

Madison County had a 3.9 percent unemployment rate in March 2022 compared to 5.6 percent in March 2021, while Calhoun was at 4.1 percent this year from 5.5 percent, Jersey was at 3.6 percent from 4.9 percent, Macoupin County was at 3.8 percent from 5.3 percent and Greene County was 4.0 percent from 5.2 percent in March 2021.

The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in thirteen Illinois metropolitan areas and increased in one in March according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Jobs were up in all metro areas with the exception of one.

“Illinois’ economy continues on a positive trajectory,” Deputy Governor Andy Manar said. “We stand ready to support job seekers and employers with innovative resources to connect across the state.”

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Bloomington MSA (+6.6%, +5,800), the Chicago Metropolitan Division (+5.1%, +177,600), and the Elgin Metro (+5.0%, +11,900). Total nonfarm jobs were down slightly in Kankakee MSA (-0.5%, -200). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Leisure & Hospitality (fourteen areas); Government (thirteen areas); Wholesale Trade (twelve areas); Manufacturing, Professional & Business Services, and Other Services (ten areas each); Mining & Construction, and Education & Health Services (eight areas each).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Chicago Metropolitan Division (-2.3 points to 4.5%), the Decatur MSA (-2.1 points to 6.8%) and the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-2.0 points to 4.3%). The unemployment rate increased in the Rockford MSA +0.2 point to 8.5%. The unemployment rate decreased over the year in 101 counties and increased in one.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Metropolitan Area

March 2022*

March 2021**

Over-the-Year Change

Bloomington

3.7%

5.2%

-1.5

Carbondale-Marion

4.5%

6.3%

-1.8

Champaign-Urbana

3.8%

5.3%

-1.5

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights

4.5%

6.8%

-2.3

Danville

5.6%

7.3%

-1.7

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

4.3%

6.3%

-2.0

Decatur

6.8%

8.9%

-2.1

Elgin

5.4%

7.3%

-1.9

Kankakee

6.0%

7.7%

-1.7

Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI

4.8%

6.3%

-1.5

Peoria

5.3%

7.0%

-1.7

Rockford

8.5%

8.3%

0.2

Springfield

4.5%

6.4%

-1.9

St. Louis (IL-Section)

4.1%

5.8%

-1.7

Illinois Statewide

4.7%

6.7%

-2.0

* Preliminary I ** Revised

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – March 2022

Metropolitan Area

March

March

Over-the-Year

2022*

2021**

Change

Bloomington MSA

93,100

87,300

5,800

Carbondale-Marion MSA

57,400

55,600

1,800

Champaign-Urbana MSA

116,400

113,600

2,800

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division

3,685,200

3,507,600

177,600

Danville MSA

25,900

25,600

300

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA

179,500

174,700

4,800

Decatur MSA

47,800

46,600

1,200

Elgin Metro Division

249,700

237,800

11,900

Kankakee MSA

42,400

42,600

-200

Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division

410,300

398,400

11,900

Peoria MSA

163,800

160,000

3,800

Rockford MSA

142,300

138,000

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4,300

Springfield MSA

107,100

103,000

4,100

Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA

234,600

233,100

1,500

Illinois Statewide

5,931,100

5,689,900

241,200

* Preliminary | **Revised

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

Labor Market Area

Mar 2022

Mar 2021

Over the Year Change

St. Louis (IL-Section)

4.1 %

5.8 %

-1.7

Bond County

3.9 %

5.1 %

-1.2

Calhoun County

4.1 %

5.5 %

-1.4

Clinton County

3.0 %

3.9 %

-0.9

Jersey County

3.6 %

4.9 %

-1.3

Macoupin County

3.9 %

5.3 %

-1.4

Madison County

3.9 %

5.6 %

-1.7

Monroe County

2.7 %

3.5 %

-0.8

St. Clair County

4.9 %

7.0 %

-2.1

Cities

Alton City

5.3 %

8.5 %

-3.2

Belleville City

4.7 %

7.6 %

-2.9

Collinsville City

4.8 %

6.0 %

-1.2

East St. Louis City

7.0 %

12.4 %

-5.4

Edwardsville City

2.9 %

3.8 %

-0.9

Granite City

3.8 %

7.2 %

-3.4

O'Fallon City

4.0 %

5.4 %

-1.4

Counties

Greene County

4.0 %

5.2 %

-1.2

Randolph County

3.4 %

4.7 %

-1.3

Washington County

2.3 %

2.9 %

-0.6

Other Areas

LWIA 21

4.2 %

5.6 %

-1.4

LWIA 22

3.8 %

5.5 %

-1.7

LWIA 24

4.2 %

5.9 %

-1.7

Southwestern EDR

4.0 %

5.7 %

-1.7

Metro East Highlights

The March 2022 unemployment rate for the Illinois Section of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area was 4.1 percent. The over-the-year rate decreased -1.7 percentage points from the March 2021 rate of 5.8 percent. The data is not seasonally adjusted.

The labor force increased by +371 in March 2022 to 334,200 from 333,829 in March 2021. The number of employed individuals increased by +6,069 to 320,470 in March 2022 from 314,401 in March 2021. There were 13,730 unemployed people in the labor force in March 2022. This is a decrease of -5,698 compared to the 19,428 unemployed in March 2021.

The number of total nonfarm jobs in March 2022 was 234,600 compared to 233,100 in March 2021, which is an increase of +1,500.

Payrolls increased in Leisure and Hospitality (+2,000), Government (+500), Manufacturing (+400), Mining and Construction (+200), Other Services (+200), and Professional and Business Services (+200).

Employment declined in Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (-1,000), Retail Trade (-700), and Financial Activities (-300).


Note: Monthly 2021 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2022, 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.

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