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Unemployment Rates Down, Jobs Up in Every Metro Area Compared to May 2020

Announcement – Thursday, June 24, 2021

Contact: Rebecca Cisco | 217.524.1219
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6/24/21 – The number of nonfarm jobs increased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in May according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in all metro areas.

“With reopening activities in full swing throughout the state, today’s numbers indicate Illinois is recovering from the hardest hit months of the pandemic a year ago,” said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes. “While IDES continues to support claimants and administer federal unemployment programs, the Department is committed to assisting individuals to reenter the workforce and matching employers with job-seekers.”

The number of nonfarm jobs increased in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas. The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Springfield MSA (+9.0%, +8,500), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+8.3%, +13,600), and the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+7.8%, +8,400). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metro Division rose by +7.3%, +241,400. The industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Retail Trade and Leisure & Hospitality (fourteen areas each); Other Services and Government (twelve areas each); Mining and Construction (eleven areas); Manufacturing, Transportation, Warehousing and Public Utilities and Education & Health Services (ten areas each); and Wholesale Trade and Professional & Business Service (nine areas each).

Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in all 14 metropolitan areas; the areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Rockford MSA (-11.9 points to 8.4%), the Carbondale-Marion MSA (-11.0 points to 5.1%) and the Elgin Metropolitan Division (-10.3 points to 5.3%). The Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division unemployment rate fell -7.9 points to 7.9%. The unemployment rate also decreased over-the-year in all 102 counties.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Metropolitan Area May 2021* May 2020** Over-the-Year Change
Bloomington 4.2% 11.5% -7.3
Carbondale-Marion 5.1% 16.1% -11.0
Champaign-Urbana 4.3% 10.4% -6.1
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights 7.9% 15.8% -7.9
Danville 5.8% 14.8% -9.0
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 5.0% 14.0% -9.0
Decatur 6.9% 15.2% -8.3
Elgin 5.3% 15.6% -10.3
Kankakee 5.8% 14.3% -8.5
Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI 4.6% 13.3% -8.7
Peoria 5.5% 15.4% -9.9
Rockford 8.4% 20.3% -11.9
Springfield 5.0% 14.1% -9.1
St. Louis (IL-Section) 4.6% 14.0% -9.4
Illinois Statewide 6.7% 15.3% -8.6
* Preliminary  I  ** Revised      

 

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) –May 2021

      Over-the-Year
Metropolitan Area May 2021* May 2020** Change
Bloomington MSA 87,300 82,900 4,400
Carbondale-Marion MSA 54,300 51,100 3,200
Champaign-Urbana MSA 115,600 107,200 8,400
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division 3,537,300 3,295,900 241,400
Danville MSA 26,500
24,900 1,600
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA 178,000 164,400 13,600
Decatur MSA 47,800 45,000 2,800
Elgin Metro Division 242,100 225,500 16,600
Kankakee MSA 42,500 41,500 1,000
Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division 402,700 374,800 27,900
Peoria MSA 162,500 151,500 11,000
Rockford MSA 135,200 129,200 6,000
Springfield MSA 103,400 94,900 8,500
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA 232,000 216,300 15,700
Illinois Statewide 5,760,300 5,362,600 397,700
*Preliminary | **Revised