SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – New employment figures point to a steadying job market across Illinois, with unemployment rates falling in most major metropolitan areas through August.
Data released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows year-over-year unemployment drops in 11 of the state’s 12 metro areas. Record August employment levels were reached in both the Champaign and Chicago markets, while Lake County logged its ninth consecutive month of job growth.
In the Peoria metro area, total nonfarm job numbers remained unchanged (0.0%) compared to August of last year, reflecting local stability alongside regional fluctuations. Job growth across the state was primarily driven by private education, health services, mining, and construction.
The sharpest unemployment rate declines were recorded in the Quad Cities region (-1.4 percentage points to 3.9%), Kankakee (-1.3 points to 4.3%), and Rockford (-1.1 points to 4.5%). Chicago was the sole metro area to see an unemployment uptick, rising 1.1 percentage points to 5.6% despite setting an all-time record for total August jobs.
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