CHICAGO–Unemployment rates decreased over-the-year in April in all of Illinois’s metropolitan areas, according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Data also show nonfarm jobs increased in nine of the metropolitan areas.
“The unemployment rate has been below previous year levels in all metro areas for ten of the last eleven months,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “In fact, three metro areas saw their lowest unemployment rate on record for April.”
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Illinois businesses added jobs in nine metro areas, with the largest increases in: Kankakee (+3.9 percent, +1,800), Lake (+1.9 percent, +7,800), and the Quad Cities (+1.5 percent, +2,700). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division increased (+0.7 percent or +25,300). Illinois businesses lost jobs in five metro areas with the largest losses in: Carbondale-Marion (-1.7 percent, -1,000), Springfield (-1.2 percent, -1,400), and Danville (-1.1 percent, -300).
The industry sectors recording job growth in the majority of metro areas included Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (9 of 14), Professional and Business Services, (9 of 14), Manufacturing (8 of 14), Education and Health Services (8 of 14), and Leisure and Hospitality (8 of 14).
Not seasonally adjusted data compares April 2018 with April 2017. The not seasonally adjusted Illinois rate was 3.6 percent in April 2018 and stood at 12.2 percent at its peak in this economic cycle in January 2010. Nationally, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in April 2018 and 10.6 percent in January 2010 at its peak. The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and looking for work, and is not tied to collecting unemployment insurance benefits.
Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – April 2018
Metropolitan Area | April 2018* | April 2017** | Over-the-Year Change |
Bloomington MSA | 94,800 | 95,400 | -600 |
Carbondale-Marion MSA | 57,600 | 58,600 | -1,000 |
Champaign-Urbana MSA | 113,700 | 112,800 | 900 |
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,742,700 | 3,717,400 | 25,300 |
Danville MSA | 28,100 | 28,400 | -300 |
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 186,100 | 183,400 | 2,700 |
Decatur MSA | 51,200 | 51,000 | 200 |
Elgin Metro Division | 259,000 | 256,700 | 2,300 |
Kankakee MSA | 48,100 | 46,300 | 1,800 |
Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 419,800 | 412,000 | 7,800 |
Peoria MSA | 172,400 | 172,900 | -500 |
Rockford MSA | 150,900 | 149,300 | 1,600 |
Springfield MSA | 112,500 | 113,900 | -1,400 |
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 241,500 | 239,900 | 1,600 |
Illinois Statewide | 6,082,900 | 6,034,600 | 48,300 |
*Preliminary **Revised |
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
Labor Market Area | April 2018 | April 2017 | Over-the-Year Change |
IL Section of St. Louis MSA | 3.4% | 4.1% | -0.7% |
Bond | 3.3% | 3.6% | -0.3% |
Calhoun | 4.1% | 5.0% | -0.9% |
Clinton | 2.6% | 3.0% | -0.4% |
Jersey | 3.7% | Article continues after sponsor message
4.2% | -0.5% |
Macoupin | 3.6% | 4.1% | -0.5% |
Madison | 3.4% | 4.2% | -0.8% |
Monroe | 2.5% | 2.9% | -0.4% |
St. Clair | 3.7% | 4.3% | -0.6% |
Cities | |||
Alton | 4.9% | 5.7% | -0.8% |
Belleville | 3.7% | 4.4% | -0.7% |
Collinsville | 3.5% | 4.2% | -0.7% |
East St. Louis | 6.3% | 6.5% | -0.2% |
Edwardsville | 2.5% | 3.1% | -0.6% |
Granite City | 3.6% | 5.0% | -1.4% |
O’Fallon | 3.2% | 3.6% | -0.4% |
Counties | |||
Greene | 3.8% | 4.3% | -0.5% |
Randolph | 3.1% | 3.6% | -0.5% |
Washington | 2.0% | 2.5% | -0.5% |
Other Areas | |||
LWA 21 | 3.7% | 4.1% | -0.4% |
LWA 22 | 3.4% | 4.2% | -0.8% |
LWA 24 | 3.3% | 3.9% | -0.6% |
Southwestern Economic | 3.4% | 4.0% | -0.6% |
Metro East Highlights
Help Wanted
Area employers advertised for 7,000 openings in April and approximately 80 percent sought full-time employment, according to Help Wanted OnLine data compiled by the Conference Board. It is a global, independent business membership and research association. Employers actually need more workers than the help wanted ad indicates because some industries, such as construction, typically do not advertise job openings.
The April 2018 unemployment rate for the Illinois Section of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area was 3.4 percent, a decrease of (-0.7%) from the April 2017 rate of 4.1 percent. The data is not seasonally adjusted.
The number of employed individuals increased by +7,586 to 335,943 in April 2018 from 328,357 in April 2017. The labor force increased by +5,641 to 347,903 in April 2018 from 342,262 in April 2017. In April 2018, there were 11,960 unemployed people in the labor force. This is a decrease of
-1,945 compared to the April 2017 total unemployed, 13,905.
Over the year, nonfarm payrolls increased by (+1,600).
Employment increased in Wholesale Trade (+1,100), Professional and Business Services (+500), Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (+400), Leisure and Hospitality (+200), and Other Services (+100) in April 2018 compared to April 2017.
Decreases in employment over the year included Educational and Health Services (-300), Financial Activities (-200), and Mining and Construction (-200).
Manufacturing, Retail, Information and Government payrolls remained stable with no change over the year.
Note:
- Monthly 2017 unemployment rates and total non-farm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February 2018, as required by the U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (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.
- LWA— Local Workforce Area 21 is composed of Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Montgomery, Morgan, Scott and
Shelby Counties.
LWA— Local Workforce Area 22 is composed of Bond and Madison Counties.
LWA— Local Workforce Area 24 is composed of Clinton, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington Counties.
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