Unemployment down in 11 of 12 Illinois metro areas

Year-over-year job growth continues across Chicagoland area

The unemployment rate decreased in eleven metro areas and increased in one over-the-year for the year ending March 2025, 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, total nonfarm jobs increased in six metropolitan areas and decreased in six.

“Illinois continues to demonstrate the strength and resilience of its labor market across metro areas statewide,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “We remain focused on expanding opportunities that drive progress for workers, businesses, and the state as a whole.”

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+1.9%, +2,300), the Elgin Metropolitan Division (+1.3%, +3,700), the Lake County Metropolitan Division (+0.6%, +2,000), and the Rockford MSA (+0.6%, +900). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago- Naperville-Schaumburg Metropolitan Division were up +10,000 (+0.3%). The metro areas which posted the largest over-the-year decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Bloomington MSA (-2.5%, -2,400), the Decatur MSA (-2.5%, -1,200), and the Illinois section of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-1.8%, -1,600). Industries that saw job growth in the majority of the twelve metro areas included: Private Education and Health Services (eleven areas); Government (eight areas); and Mining and Construction (seven areas).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Lake County Metropolitan Division (-1.6 points to 4.6%), the Rockford MSA (-1.5 points to 5.0%), and the Elgin Metropolitan Division (-1.4 points to 4.4%). The Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metropolitan Division reported the only increase (+0.7 point to 5.5%).

 

 

 

 

South Central Illinois Highlights

Centralia – Mt. Vernon Area

Total nonfarm employment decreased by -600 jobs in March 2025 from a year earlier.

Employment gains were posted in Private Education-Health Services (+300) and Government (+100).

Year-over-year, payroll totals were unchanged among employers in Financial Activities and Professional-Business Services.

Payroll job losses occurred among employers in the Manufacturing (-275), Trade-Transportation-Utilities (-275), Leisure-Hospitality (-200), Construction (-100), Natural Resources-Mining (-100), Other Services (-75) and Information (-25) sectors.

Effingham Area

Total nonfarm employment decreased by -650 jobs in March 2025 from a year earlier.

Employment gains were posted in Leisure-Hospitality (+225).

Year-over-year, payroll totals were unchanged among employers in Financial Activities and Natural Resources- Mining.

Payroll job losses occurred among employers in the Manufacturing  (-250),  Private  Education-Health Services (-200), Construction (-175), Trade-Transportation-Utilities (-75), Government (-50), Other Services (-50), Information (-25) and Professional-Business Services (-25) sectors.

Mattoon – Charleston Area

Total nonfarm employment decreased by -700 jobs in March 2025 from a year earlier.

Employment gains were posted in Private Education-Health Services (+325).

Year-over-year, payroll totals were unchanged among employers in Construction.

Payroll job losses occurred among employers in the Professional-Business Services (-300), Manufacturing (-175), Financial Activities (-150), Trade-Transportation- Utilities (-150), Other Services (-100), Government (-75), Information (-25), Leisure-Hospitality (-25) and Natural Resources-Mining (-25) sectors.

 

Note: Monthly 2024 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2025, 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 2025 data compared to January 2024 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.