Jobs Up in All Metros, Unemployment Rates Down in Most Areas in May
SPRINGFIELD - The unemployment rate decreased in eleven Illinois metropolitan areas, increased in one and was unchanged in another 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). Jobs were up in all metro areas.
"The Pritzker administration is encouraged by Illinois' continued positive economic trajectory," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "We remain committed to providing the resources needed to support and strengthen the state's workforce."
The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Chicago Metropolitan Division (+5.1%, +182,600), the Rockford MSA (+4.8%, +6,700), and the Bloomington MSA (+4.6%, +4,100). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Leisure & Hospitality (fourteen areas); Manufacturing and Other Services (thirteen areas each); Government (twelve areas); Professional & Business Services (eleven areas); Education & Health Services (ten areas); Mining and Construction and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (nine areas each); and Wholesale Trade (eight areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Chicago Metro Division (-2.6 points to 4.2%), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-1.5 points to 3.8%), the Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metro (-0.4 point to 4.3%) and the Springfield MSA (-0.4 point to 4.7%). The unemployment rate in the Kankakee MSA increased +0.2 point to 6.2%. The unemployment rate was unchanged in the Danville MSA and the Decatur MSA.
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
| Metropolitan Area | May 2022* | May 2021** | Over-the-Year Change |
| Bloomington | 4.1% | 4.3% | -0.2 |
| Carbondale-Marion | 5.0% | 5.2% | -0.2 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 4.3% | 4.5% | -0.2 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 4.2% | 6.8% | -2.6 |
| Danville | 6.1% | 6.1% | 0.0 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3.8% | 5.3% | -1.5 |
| Decatur | 7.1% | 7.1% | 0.0 |
| Elgin | 5.1% | 5.4% | -0.3 |
| Kankakee | 6.2% | 6.0% | 0.2 |
| Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI | 4.3% | 4.7% | -0.4 |
| Peoria | 5.5% | 5.6% | -0.1 |
| Rockford | 8.3% | 8.4% | -0.1 |
| Springfield | 4.7% | 5.1% | -0.4 |
| St. Louis (IL-Section) | 4.6% | 4.8% | -0.2 |
| Illinois Statewide | 4.5% | 6.1% | -1.6 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised |
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Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - May 2022
| Metropolitan Area | May | May | Over-the-Year |
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| 2022* | 2021** | Change |
| Bloomington MSA | 92,900 | 88,800 | 4,100 |
| Carbondale-Marion MSA | 56,600 | 55,000 | 1,600 |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 116,600 | 113,100 | 3,500 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,752,600 | 3,570,000 | 182,600 |
| Danville MSA | 26,100 | 25,800 | 300 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 185,700 | 178,300 | 7,400 |
| Decatur MSA | 48,900 | 47,700 | 1,200 |
| Elgin Metro Division | 255,200 | 244,200 | 11,000 |
| Kankakee MSA | 42,900 | 42,300 | 600 |
| Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 420,000 | 409,400 | 10,600 |
| Peoria MSA | 166,700 | 163,500 | 3,200 |
| Rockford MSA | 145,300 | 138,600 | 6,700 |
| Springfield MSA | 108,400 | 104,400 | 4,000 |
| Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 238,700 | 236,900 | 1,800 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,042,800 | 5,794,000 | 248,800 |
| *Preliminary | **Revised |
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Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
| Labor Market Area | May 2022 | May 2021 | Over the Year Change |
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| Rockford MSA |
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| Boone County | 8.5 % | 8.4 % | 0.1 | ||
| Winnebago County | 8.3 % | 8.4 % | -0.1 | ||
| Cities |
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| Belvidere City | 10.5 % | 11.1 % | -0.6 | ||
| Freeport City | 6.1 % | 6.5 % | -0.4 | ||
| Rockford City | 9.2 % | 10.3 % | -1.1 | ||
| Counties |
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| Bureau County | 4.8 % | 4.2 % | 0.6 | ||
| Carroll County | 3.8 % | 3.6 % | 0.2 | ||
| DeKalb County | 5.0 % | 5.3 % | -0.3 | ||
| Henry County | 4.6 % | 4.4 % | 0.2 | ||
| Jo Daviess County | 3.5 % | 3.6 % | -0.1 | ||
| Kane County | 5.1 % | 5.4 % | -0.3 | ||
| Lee County | 4.4 % | 4.2 % | 0.2 | ||
| McHenry County | 3.0 % | 4.8 % | -1.8 | ||
| Ogle County | 5.5 % | 5.4 % | 0.1 | ||
| Stephenson County | 5.1 % | 5.0 % | 0.1 | ||
| Whiteside County | 4.4 % | 4.5 % | -0.1 |
Rockford MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 8.3 percent in May 2022 from 8.4 percent in May 2021. The last time the May rate was equal to or lower was in 2019 when it was 4.9 percent.
Total nonfarm employment increased by +6,700 over the year.
The Manufacturing (+1,600), Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+1,500), Retail Trade (+1,200), and Leisure-Hospitality (+1,100) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. Financial Activities (-100) and Government (-100) sectors recorded employment declines over the year.
Ogle County
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 5.5 percent in May 2022 from 5.4 percent in May 2021.
Total nonfarm employment increased by +150 over the year.
Construction (+250), Government (+225), and Professional-Business Services (+50) had the largest payroll gains over the year. Trade-Transportation-Utilities (-375) sector recorded the largest employment declines over the year.
Stephenson County
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 5.1 percent in May 2022 from 5.0 percent in May 2021.
Total nonfarm employment decreased by -150 over the year.
Leisure-Hospitality (+75), Financial Activities (+50), and Trade-Transportation-Utilities (+50) had the largest payroll gains over the year. Manufacturing (-200), Professional-Business Services (-100), Government (-50), and Educational-Health Services (-50) sectors recorded employment declines over the year.
Note: Monthly 2021 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2022, 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. The official monthly unemployment rate series for metro areas, counties and most cities begins in 1990. The official monthly nonfarm jobs series for metro areas begins in 1990 and for non-metropolitan counties it begins in 1999.
