Skip to main content

IDES offices will be closed Thursday, November 28 through Friday, November 29 for the federal holiday, but you can still certify and apply for benefits and access other online resources!  Please note that benefit payments may take longer to process during this time.  Offices will reopen for regular business hours on Monday, December 2.

Unemployment Rates Down for the Seventh Consecutive Month, Jobs Up in All Metro Areas

Announcement – Wednesday, November 24, 2021

CONTACT:  Rebecca Cisco | 217.524.1219
rebecca.cisco@illinois.gov   PDF Version

SPRINGFIELD – The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in October for the seventh consecutive month according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Jobs were up in all fourteen metropolitan areas.

“The Illinois economy and job market has seen continued positive growth for more than half the year across all corners of the state,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar.  “While we continue to wade through the pandemic recovery period, the Pritzker administration and IDES remain focused on providing more opportunities for people looking to reengage with the workforce.”

Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in all fourteen metropolitan areas. The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Carbondale-Marion MSA (+4.4%, +2,500), the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division (+3.4%, +119,600) and the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+3.2%, +5,700). The industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Leisure and Hospitality (fourteen areas); Transportation, Warehousing and Public Utilities (thirteen areas); Wholesale Trade, Other Services and Government (eleven areas each); Manufacturing (nine areas); Mining and Construction, Professional and Business Services and Education and Health Services (eight areas each).

Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in all 14 metropolitan areas. The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division (-3.4 points to 5.4%), the Elgin Metro Division (-1.9 points to 4.5%) and the Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metro Division (-1.9 points to 3.8%). The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in 101 of 102 counties and increased in one.  

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
-See PDF -

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
-See PDF-