Illinois Unemployment Rate Remains Above National Average in All but Two Metro Areas

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Metropolitan Area	Aug. 2016	Aug. 2015	Over-the-Year Change
Bloomington	5.1%	4.9%	0.2
Carbondale-Marion	5.9%	6.0%	-0.1
Champaign-Urbana	5.1%	5.4%	-0.3
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights	5.4%	5.6%	-0.2
Danville	7.1%	7.3%	-0.2
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	5.6%	5.3%	0.3
Decatur	6.7%	7.3%	-0.6
Elgin	5.1%	5.6%	-0.5
Kankakee	6.1%	6.7%	-0.6
Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI	4.8%	5.1%	-0.3
Peoria	6.2%	6.5%	-0.3
Rockford	6.3%	7.0%	-0.7
Springfield	4.6%	5.1%	-0.5
St. Louis (IL-Section)	5.7%	6.2%	-0.5
Illinois Statewide	5.5%	5.8%	-0.3
* Data subject to revision.

CHICAGO–Again this month, twelve of Illinois’ metropolitan (metro) areas experienced decreases in their over-the-year unemployment rate and eight 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).”

“Job growth is primarily confined to metro areas north of the I-80 corridor and even though it is growth, it is anemic growth when compared to other major metro areas across the country such as New York, Los Angeles and Dallas,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “And many of the Downstate metros still haven’t fully recovered from the recession.”

Illinois businesses added jobs in eight metro areas, in which the largest increases were seen in: Rockford (+2.2 percent, +3,400), Lake-Kenosha (+1.5 percent, +6,300), and Elgin (+1.3 percent, +3,400). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division increased (+1.3 percent or +46,800). Illinois businesses lost jobs in six metro areas including the Quad Cities (-3.2 percent, -5,900), Bloomington (-2.5 percent, -2,400), and Carbondale-Marion (-2.3 percent, -1,300). The industry sectors recording job growth in the majority of metro areas were: Retail Trade (10 of 14), Professional and Business Services (eight of 14), and Leisure and Hospitality (eight of 14).

Not seasonally adjusted data compares August 2016 with August 2015. The not seasonally adjusted Illinois rate was 5.5 percent in August 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 5.0 percent in August 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.

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – August 2016

Metropolitan Area	Aug. 2016*	Aug. 2015**	Over-the-Year Change
Bloomington MSA	91,900	94,300	-2,400
Carbondale-Marion MSA	55,700	57,000	-1,300
Champaign-Urbana MSA	104,300	103,200	1,100
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division	3,724,200	3,677,400	46,800
Danville MSA	28,900	29,100	-200
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA	179,500	185,400	-5,900
Decatur MSA	50,800	51,700	-900
Elgin Metro Division	259,800	256,400	3,400
Kankakee MSA	45,000	44,500	500
Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division	419,500	413,200	6,300
Peoria MSA	177,700	179,500	-1,800
Rockford MSA	155,800	152,400	3,400
Springfield MSA	117,400	116,500	900
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA	234,700	234,000	700
Illinois Statewide	6,022,900	5,985,600	37,300
	Preliminary *Revised

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

Labor Market Area	Aug-16	Aug-15	Over-the-Year Change
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin IL-IN-WI MSA	5.4%	5.6%	-0.2
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division
Cook County	5.7%	5.9%	-0.2
DuPage County	4.4%	4.5%	-0.1
Grundy County	5.9%	6.2%	-0.3
Kendall County	4.7%	4.8%	-0.1
McHenry County	4.6%	4.8%	-0.2
Will County	5.4%	5.6%	-0.2
Elgin, IL Metro Division
DeKalb County	5.0%	5.6%	-0.6
Kane County	5.1%	5.6%	-0.5
Lake & Kenosha Counties, IL-WI Metro Division
Lake County	4.8%	5.2%	-0.4
Cities (with total population of at least 100,000) *
Aurora City	5.3%	5.7%	-0.4
Chicago City	6.1%	6.4%	-0.3
Elgin City	5.5%	5.9%	-0.4
Joliet City	6.5%	6.6%	-0.1
Naperville City	4.5%	4.5%	0.0

* Unemployment rates for cities with total population of 25,000 or more can be found at www.ides.illinois.gov/LMI/Pages/Current_Monthly_Unemployment_Rates.aspx

Lake & Kenosha Counties, IL-WI Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.8 percent in August 2016 decreased from 5.1 percent in August 2015. The last time the August rate was equal to or lower than the current rate was in 2007 when it was 4.8 percent. For the month of August 2016, the estimated number of unemployed people in the labor force was 22,700.

Total nonfarm employment increased +6,300 compared to August 2015. Leisure-Hospitality (+2,200), Wholesale Trade (+1,600), and Professional-Business Services (+1,400) reported the largest payroll gains. The Financial Activities (-400), Educational-Health Services (-400), and Information (-300) sectors recorded the largest employment declines compared to one year ago.

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.4 percent in August 2016 from 5.6 percent in August 2015. The last time the August rate was equal to or lower than the current rate was in 2007 when it was 5.1 percent. For the month of August 2016, the estimated number of unemployed people in the labor force was 208,400.

Total nonfarm employment increased +46,800 compared to August 2015. Leisure-Hospitality (+19,200), Professional-Business Services (+11,900), and Construction (6,300) reported the largest payroll gains. The Manufacturing (-3,300), Financial Activities (-2,200), and Information
(-1,200) sector recorded the largest employment declines compared to one year ago.

Elgin, IL Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.1 percent in August 2016 from 5.6 percent in August 2015. The last time the August rate was equal to or lower than the current rate was in 2007 when it was 4.2 percent. For the month of August 2016, the estimated number of unemployed people in the labor force was 16,800.

Total nonfarm employment increased +3,400 compared to August 2015. Retail Trade (+1,900), Construction (+1,100), and Professional-Business Services (+1,000) reported the largest payroll gains. The Manufacturing (-800) and Wholesale Trade
(-600) sectors recorded the largest employment declines compared to one year ago.