SPRINGFIELD - Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in thirteen metropolitan areas and decreased in one for the year ending July 2023, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). Over-the-year, the unemployment rate increased in thirteen metropolitan areas and decreased in one.

"We're encouraged to see continued and consecutive job growth across the state, giving Illinois workers the ability to take advantage of expanded labor market opportunities," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "IDES continues to collaborate with its workforce partners, providing vital resources to bridge jobseekers with employers."

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Danville MSA (+2.6%, +700), the Elgin Metro Division (+2.4%, +6,200), the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+2.1%, +2,400), and the Springfield MSA (+2.1%, +2,300). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Metro Division were up +1.3% or +50,900. Total nonfarm jobs were down slightly in the Kankakee MSA (-0.5%, -200). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Leisure and Hospitality (twelve areas); Education and Health Services and Government (eleven areas each).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Danville MSA (+1.7 points to 6.6%), the Rockford MSA (+1.6 points to 6.8%), the Decatur MSA (+1.4 points to 6.9%), and the Kankakee MSA (+1.4 points to 6.1%). The only metro area with an unemployment rate decrease was the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division (-1.1 percentage points to 4.0%). The Chicago Metro Division unemployment rate tied 2019 for a record low in the month of July.

Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

(percent) for Local Counties and Areas

* Unemployment rates for cities with total population of 25,000 or more can be found at https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/lmi/Pages/Local_Area_Unemployment_Statistics.aspx

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.0 percent in July 2023 from 5.1 percent in July 2022.

Total nonfarm employment increased +50,900 compared to July 2022. The Leisure-Hospitality (+31,500) and Educational-Health Services (+26,300) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. The largest employment declines were reported in Professional-Business Services (-13,000), Information (-4,400), Retail Trade (-3,600), and Manufacturing (-2,200).

Elgin, IL Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 5.3 percent in July 2023 from 4.1 percent in July 2022.

Total nonfarm employment increased +6,200 compared to July 2022. Professional-Business Services (+4,700), Educational-Health Services (+1,600), and Government (+1,300) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. The Construction (-1,100) and Retail Trade (-900) sectors had the largest employment declines from a year ago.

Lake & Kenosha Counties, IL-WI Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 4.9 percent in July 2023 from 3.7 percent in July 2022.

Total nonfarm employment increased +3,200 compared to July 2022. Leisure-Hospitality (+2,000), Educational-Health Services (+1,900), and Government (+1,700) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. Professional-Business Services (-1,100), Financial Activities (-500), and Manufacturing (-500) sectors had the largest employment declines from a year ago.

Kankakee, IL MSA

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 6.1 percent in July 2023 from 4.7 percent in July 2022.

Total nonfarm employment decreased -200 compared to July 2022. Leisure-Hospitality (+200) and Retail Trade (+200) sectors had payroll gains over the year. The Manufacturing (-200), Construction (-200), Professional-Business Services (-100) and Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (-100) sectors recorded employment declines compared to one year ago.

Note: Monthly 2022 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2023, 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.

Disclaimer: The data contained in the metro area employment numbers press releases are not seasonally adjusted, and therefore are subject to seasonal fluctuations due to factors such as changes in weather, harvests, major holidays, and school schedules. Current monthly metro data should be compared to the same month from prior years (February 2023 data compared to February 2022 data) as data for these months have similar seasonal patterns. Comparisons should not be made to data for the immediate previous month or other previous non-matching months, as any changes in the data within these time periods may be the result of seasonal fluctuations and not economic factors.