Skip to main content

Unemployment Rates Down, Jobs Up for Every Metro Area Compared to Last April

Announcement – Thursday, May 27, 2021

Contact: Rebecca Cisco | 217.524.1219
PDF Version

5/27/21 – The number of nonfarm jobs increased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in April 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. The official, BLS approved sub-state unemployment rate and nonfarm jobs series begins in 1990.

“Decreased unemployment in all 102 counties compared to last spring is a critical component of Illinois’ pandemic recovery, and the administration will continue to deploy every available resource to ensure that this economic rebound is as widespread as possible,” said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes. “That said, COVID-19 is still with us, and the Department remains focused on supporting workers not yet able to rejoin the labor market through benefits as well as job-matching resources.”

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 Carbondale-Marion MSA (+9.8%, +5,000), the Springfield MSA (+9.0%, +8,400) and the Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division (+8.7%, +31,700). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division rose by +7.3%, +237,900.

Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in all 14 metropolitan areas; the metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Rockford MSA (-12.8 points to 9.7%), the Carbondale-Marion MSA (-11.8 points to 5.7%) and the Peoria MSA (-10.7 points to 6.4%). The Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division unemployment rate fell -8.5 points to 7.9%. The unemployment rate also decreased over-the-year in all 102 counties.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Metropolitan Area April 2021* April 2020** Over-the-Year Change
Bloomington 4.8% 12.9% -8.1
Carbondale-Marion 5.7% 17.5% -11.8
Champaign-Urbana 4.8% 11.0%
-6.2
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights 7.9% 16.4% -8.5
Danville 6.5% 17.0% -10.5
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 5.6% 15.9% -10.3
Decatur 7.9% 15.4% -7.5
Elgin 6.3% 16.8% -10.5
Kankakee 6.9% 16.2% -9.3
Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI 5.5% 15.3% -9.8
Peoria 6.4% 17.1% -10.7
Rockford 9.7% 22.5% -12.8
Springfield 5.9% 14.9% -9.0
St. Louis (IL-Section) 5.3% 15.1% -9.8
Illinois Statewide 7.1% 16.3% -9.2
* Preliminary  I  ** Revised      

 

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) –April 2021

    Over-the-Year
Metropolitan Area April 2021* April 2020** Change
Bloomington MSA 87,700 82,800 4,900
Carbondale-Marion MSA 56,100 51,100 5,000
Champaign-Urbana MSA 117,600 108,600 9,000
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division 3,509,500 3,271,600 237,900
Danville MSA 26,500 24,600 1,900
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA 175,000 161,400 13,600
Decatur MSA 47,400 44,900 2,500
Elgin Metro Division 240,800 222,800 18,000
Kankakee MSA 42,200 40,600 1,600
Lake County-Kenosha County Metro Division 396,400 364,700 31,700
Peoria MSA 159,500 149,100 10,400
Rockford MSA 134,600 127,000 7,600
Springfield MSA 102,100 93,700 8,400
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA 229,900 212,600 17,300
Illinois Statewide 5,720,900 5,310,300 410,600
*Preliminary | **Revised