Jobs up in all 14 metro areas, unemployment rates stable in December

Jobs increased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in December according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). The unemployment rate decreased in thirteen metropolitan areas and increased in one.

“For nearly two years, Illinois has seen consistent job growth across the state throughout industry sectors,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “IDES continues to help job seekers and employers connect with one another as more people enter the labor force and look to take advantage of newly created and expanded job opportunities in the labor market.”

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Lake-Kenosha IL/WI Metro (+3.8 percent, +15,700), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+3.5 percent, +6,400), the Rockford MSA (+3.1 percent, +4,500) and the Chicago Metro Division (+2.9 percent, +108,800). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Manufacturing and Leisure and Hospitality (thirteen areas each); Other Services (twelve areas); Mining and Construction and Education and Health Services (eleven areas each); Government (ten areas); and Wholesale Trade (nine areas).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were in the Rockford MSA (-1.3 points to 5.4 percent) and the Decatur MSA (-1.0 point to 5.1 percent). The Chicago Metro Division unemployment rate increased +0.1 point to 4.3 percent. The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in 47 counties, increased in 43, and was unchanged in 12.

 

South Central Illinois Highlights

Mattoon – Charleston Area

December 2022 total nonfarm employment increased by +475 compared to a year ago.

Employment gains were posted in Government (+150), Financial Activities (+125), Leisure and Hospitality (+100), Information (+75), Professional and Business Services (+50), Construction (+50), and Manufacturing (+50).

Payrolls decreased in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-150).

No change in employment was reported in Educational and Health Services, Natural Resources and Mining, or Other Services.

Effingham Area

Total nonfarm employment in December 2022 increased by +300 compared to a year ago.

Employment gains were posted in Government (+100), Educational and Health Services (+100), Construction (+100), Leisure and Hospitality (+50), Professional and Business Services (+25), and Information (+25).

Employment declined in Manufacturing (-50), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-25).

No change was reported in Financial Activities, Natural Resources and Mining, or Other Services.

Centralia – Mt. Vernon Area

December 2022 total nonfarm employment increased by +400 since December 2021.

Employment increased in Government (+300), Manufacturing (+100), Leisure and Hospitality (+25), Other Services (+25), Construction (+25), and Professional and Business Services (+25).

Payrolls decreased in Educational and Health Services (-75).

No employment change was reported in Trade, Transportation and Utilities, Financial Activities, Information, or Natural Resources and Mining.

 

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.

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 (January 2022 data compared to January 2021 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.