JB Pritzker, Governor

NEWS RELEASE
Thomas D. Chan, Acting Director

FOR RELEASE: CONTACT:

December 27, 2019 Rebecca Cisco | 217.524.1219 | Tom Austin | 815.395.6680
rebecca.cisco@illinois.gov

Unemployment Rate Down in Thirteen Metro Areas, Jobs Up in Nine

Record Lows in November for Four Metros, 36 Counties
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
Nov Nov
Over-the- SPRINGFIELD – The unemployment rate decreased
Metropolitan Area Year
2019* 2018**
Change
over-the-year in November in thirteen Illinois
Bloomington 3.1% 4.1% -1.0 metropolitan areas and increased in one, according to
Carbondale-Marion 3.4% 4.6% -1.2 preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of
Champaign-Urbana 3.1% 4.3% -1.2 Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights 3.1% 3.3% -0.2 Employment Security (IDES). Data also shows the
Danville 4.6% 5.8% -1.2
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 3.9% 3.7% 0.2
number of nonfarm jobs increased in nine Illinois
Decatur 4.5% 5.5% -1.0 metropolitan areas, decreased in four, and was unchanged
Elgin 3.6% 4.7% -1.1 in one.
Kankakee 4.6% 5.2% -0.6 “As job growth continues to be strong throughout the
Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI 3.4% 4.0% -0.6
Peoria 4.0% 4.8% -0.8
state, Governor Pritzker will continue to build on the
Rockford 5.1% 9.4% -4.3 momentum of the past year to expand long-term
Springfield 3.2% 4.2% -1.0 economic success,” said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes.
St. Louis (IL-Section) 3.4% 4.5% -1.1 “Illinois’ bipartisan balanced budget and the historic
Illinois Statewide 3.4% 4.0% -0.6 Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan are making critical
* Preliminary | **Revised
investments and creating an economy that works for
everyone.”
Illinois businesses added jobs in nine metro areas, with the largest percentage increases in: Champaign-Urbana (+3.4%,
+3,800), Carbondale-Marion (+2.5%, +1,500) Decatur (+1.5%, +800), and Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights (+24,200
or +0.6%). Total nonfarm jobs were down in Peoria (-1.7%, -3,100), Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL (-1.2%, -2,300)
and Danville (-0.4%, -100).
The industry sectors recording job growth in the majority of metro areas included Government (11 of 14), Mining and
Construction (9 of 14), Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (9 of 14), Education and Health Services (9 of 14) and
Leisure and Hospitality (8 of 14).
Not seasonally adjusted data compares November 2019 with November 2018. The not seasonally adjusted Illinois rate was
3.4 percent in November 2019 and stood at 12.2 percent at its peak in this economic cycle in January 2010. Nationally, the
not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in November 2019 and 10.6 percent in January 2010, at its peak.
The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment.
Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – November 2019
Metropolitan Area Nov Nov Over-the-Year
2019* 2018** Change
Bloomington MSA 93,500 93,500 0
Carbondale-Marion MSA 61,300 59,800 1,500
Champaign-Urbana MSA 116,400 112,600 3,800
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division 3,861,500 3,837,300 24,200
Danville MSA 27,700 27,800 -100
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA 186,900 189,200 -2,300
Decatur MSA 53,100 52,300 800
Elgin Metro Division 270,100 269,100 1,000
Kankakee MSA 47,300 47,200 100
Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division 432,400 429,600 2,800
Peoria MSA 175,100 178,200 -3,100
Rockford MSA 154,600 155,000 -400
Springfield MSA 116,500 115,500 1,000
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA 246,000 243,200 2,800
Illinois Statewide 6,243,400 6,205,900 37,500
*Preliminary | **Revised
- continued -
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IL-IA MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased
Nov. Nov.
Over-the- to 3.9 percent in November 2019 from 3.7 percent in
Labor Market Area Year November 2018.
2019 2018
Change
Total nonfarm employment decreased -2,300 compared to
Davenport-Rock Island-Moline IL-IA MSA
November 2018. The Construction (+800),
Henry County 4.4 % 4.9 % -0.5 Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+300), Wholesale
Mercer County 4.2 % 4.7 % -0.5
Trade (+100), and Government (+100) sectors reported
payroll gains. Professional-Business Services (-1,300),
Rock Island County 4.5 % 4.9 % -0.4 Leisure-Hospitality
Cities
(-1,100), and Retail Trade (-500) sectors recorded the
largest employment declines compared to one year ago.
Galesburg 4.4 % 6.5 % -2.1
The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of
Moline 4.4 % 4.7 % -0.3 work and seeking employment. A person who exhausts
Rock Island 3.1 % 3.9 % -0.8 benefits, or is ineligible, still will be reflected in the
unemployment rate if they actively seek work.
Counties

Bureau County 4.0 % 5.1 % -1.1

Fulton County 4.7 % 5.9 % -1.2

Henderson County 2.9 % 5.2 % -2.3

Knox County 4.2 % 5.2 % -1.0

Stark County 5.1 % 5.7 % -0.6

Warren County 3.3 % 4.0 % -0.7

Whiteside County 3.9 % 4.4 % -0.5

NOTE: Monthly 2018 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2019, as required by
the U.S. BLS. Comments and tables distributed for prior metro area news releases should be discarded as any records or historical analysis previously
cited may no longer be valid.

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