Press Release - Thursday, March 16, 2023
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Unemployment Rates Down in All 14 Metro Areas, Jobs Up in Most Areas in January
SPRINGFIELD - The unemployment rate decreased in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in January 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 except one.
"Metro areas throughout the state continue to experience consistent job growth across industry sectors," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "As new jobs are added statewide and across industries, jobseekers and employers are encouraged to take advantage of the services and resources IDES offers in connecting workers and employers."
The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Peoria MSA (4.2%, +6,900), the Springfield MSA (+3.6%, +3,800) and the Rockford MSA (+3.5%, +4,900). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metropolitan Division were up +2.7% or +99,300. Total nonfarm jobs were down slightly in the Illinois section of the St. Louis MSA (-0.3%, -800). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Leisure and Hospitality (fourteen areas); Mining and Construction and Education and Health Services (thirteen areas each); Other Services (twelve areas); Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (eleven areas each); and Government (nine areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were in the Rockford MSA (-2.5 points to 5.8%), the Decatur MSA (-1.6 points to 5.4%), and the Carbondale-Marion MSA (-1.1 points to 4.3%). The Chicago Metropolitan Division unemployment rate decreased -0.5 point to 4.7%. The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in 98 counties, increased in 3 and was unchanged in 1.
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
| Metropolitan Area | January 2023* | January 2022** | Over-the-Year Change |
| Bloomington | 3.7% | 4.3% | -0.6 |
| Carbondale-Marion | 4.3% | 5.4% | -1.1 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 3.8% | 4.4% | -0.6 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 4.7% | 5.2% | -0.5 |
| Danville | 5.7% | 6.2% | -0.5 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 4.5% | 4.9% | -0.4 |
| Decatur | 5.4% | 7.0% | -1.6 |
| Elgin | 5.3% | 6.0% | -0.7 |
| Kankakee | 6.1% | 6.9% | -0.8 |
| Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI | 4.7% | 5.3% | -0.6 |
| Peoria | 5.0% | 5.9% | -0.9 |
| Rockford | 5.8% | 8.3% | -2.5 |
| Springfield | 4.3% | 5.2% | -0.9 |
| St. Louis (IL-Section) | 3.9% | 4.7% | -0.8 |
| Illinois Statewide | 4.7% | 5.4% | -0.7 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised |
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Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - January 2023
| Metropolitan Area | January | January | Over-the-Year |
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| 2023* | 2022** | Change |
| Bloomington MSA | 95,400 | 92,500 | 2,900 |
| Carbondale-Marion MSA | 56,500 | 54,800 | 1,700 |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 119,100 | 116,300 | 2,800 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,729,600 | 3,630,300 | 99,300 |
| Danville MSA | 26,600 | 26,200 | 400 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 179,800 | 177,600 | 2,200 |
| Decatur MSA | 48,200 | 47,400 | 800 |
| Elgin Metro Division | 256,000 | 249,200 | 6,800 |
| Kankakee MSA | 42,700 | 41,800 | 900 |
| Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 411,300 | 401,500 | 9,800 |
| Peoria MSA | 170,000 | 163,100 | 6,900 |
| Rockford MSA | 146,300 | 141,400 | 4,900 |
| Springfield MSA | 108,300 | 104,500 | 3,800 |
| Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 232,700 | 233,500 | -800 |
| Illinois Statewide | 5,997,000 | 5,837,800 | 159,200 |
| *Preliminary | **Revised |
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Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
| Labor Market Area | Jan 2023 | Jan 2022 | Over the Year Change |
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| Rockford MSA |
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| Boone County | 7.2 % | 9.8 % | -2.6 | ||
| Winnebago County | 5.6 % | 8.0 % | -2.4 | ||
| Cities |
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| Belvidere City | 8.9 % | 12.3 % | -3.4 | ||
| Freeport City | 5.6 % | 6.0 % | -0.4 | ||
| Rockford City | 6.3 % | 9.2 % | -2.9 | ||
| Counties |
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| Bureau County | 5.6 % | 6.1 % | -0.5 | ||
| Carroll County | 5.1 % | 5.3 % | -0.2 | ||
| DeKalb County | 4.6 % | 5.6 % | -1.0 | ||
| Henry County | 4.9 % | 5.5 % | -0.6 | ||
| Jo Daviess County | 5.0 % | 5.5 % | -0.5 | ||
| Kane County | 5.4 % | 6.1 % | -0.7 | ||
| Lee County | 4.7 % | 4.9 % | -0.2 | ||
| McHenry County | 4.5 % | 4.4 % | 0.1 | ||
| Ogle County | 5.9 % | 6.9 % | -1.0 | ||
| Stephenson County | 5.2 % | 5.9 % | -0.7 | ||
| Whiteside County | 4.6 % | 5.1 % | -0.5 |
Rockford MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.8 percent in January 2023 from 8.3 percent in January 2022.
Total nonfarm employment increased by +4,900 over the year.
The Leisure-Hospitality (+1,500), Educational-Health Services (+1,100), and Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+1,100) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. The Manufacturing (-1,000) sector recorded an employment decline over the year.
Ogle County
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.9 percent in January 2023 from 6.9 percent in January 2022.
Total nonfarm employment increased by +450 over the year.
Government (+150), Educational-Health Services (+100), Professional-Business Services (+100), Construction (+75), and Other Services (+50) had the largest payroll gains over the year. The Leisure-Hospitality (-50) sector recorded the largest employment decline over the year.
Stephenson County
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.2 percent in January 2023 from 5.9 percent in January 2022.
Total nonfarm employment increased by +175 over the year.
Construction (+250), Manufacturing (+150), Other Services (+75), and Government (+50) had the largest payroll gains over the year. Financial Activities (-175), Educational-Health Services (-100), and Leisure-Hospitality (-75) sectors recorded employment declines over the year.
Note: Monthly 2022 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2023, 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. The official monthly unemployment rate series for metro areas, counties and most cities begins in 1990. The official monthly nonfarm jobs series for metro areas begins in 1990 and for non-metropolitan counties it begins in 1999.
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 2023 data compared to January 2022 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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