Agencies
Services
Announcement – Thursday, June 24, 2021
Unemployment Rates Down, Jobs Up in Every Metro Area Compared to May 2020
Contact: Rebecca Cisco | 217.524.1219
PDF Version
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 |