Southwestern Illinois Workforce

Southwestern Illinois Workforce

Workforce is defined as those who work in the area represented but may live elsewhere. A total of 232,881 are employed in Madison and St. Clair counties with 154,213 of these in the private sector. The Trade/Transportation/Utilities sector showed a slight increase in 2013 and continues to account for more than a quarter of the total number of jobs in Southwestern Illinois, while Education and Health Services were the next largest sector with 19.6 percent of the jobs. Manufacturing and Construction fell slightly to 10.7 percent and 4.8 percent, respectively.

Private Sector Employment—2013 Snapshot

At the end of 4th Quarter 2013, there were 11,401 private employers in Madison County, an increase of nearly 200 from 2012. After years of steady growth, Southwestern Illinois once again saw a slight decrease in private sector employment, with a net loss of 1,299 jobs. The decrease was smaller than the year prior. While changes were small, the biggest decreases were seen in the construction industry, with a net loss of 1,173 jobs. Sectors seeing gains were in the trade, transportation and utilities, with an increase of 1,881 jobs, and education and health services, with an increase of 438 jobs. Service-providing jobs account for 84 percent of the total number of private  sector jobs in Southwestern Illinois.