Unemployment Rates up in Most Metro Areas

 Job Growth Continues to Lag                 

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

CHICAGO – Unemployment rates increased in 12 metro areas, decreased in one and was unchanged in one. Eight metro areas across the state saw job loss compared to a year ago, according to preliminary data released today by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Not seasonally adjusted data compares November 2015 with November 2014.

Illinois businesses lost jobs in eight metro areas including Carbondale-Marion (-1.8 percent, -1,000), Quad Cities (-1.7 percent, -3,200), and Lake-Kenosha (-1.5 percent, -6,300).  Illinois businesses added jobs in six metros, in which the largest increases were seen in: Elgin (+2.0 percent, +5,000), Champaign-Urbana (+1.5 percent, +1,700), Danville (+1.4 percent, +400), and Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division (+1.3 percent or +46,900).  The industry sectors recording job growth in the majority of metros were: Transportation, Warehousing and Public Utilities (nine of 14), Leisure and Hospitality (eight of 14), and Education and Health Services (eight of 14).

“While the increase in unemployment rates will garner most of the headlines, more troubling is Illinois’ extremely low employment growth rate this past year,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “Out of 102 counties in Illinois, 96 remain below their pre-recession 2007 peak employment levels.”

The not seasonally adjusted Illinois rate was 5.8 percent in November 2015 and stood at 12.2 percent at its peak in this economic cycle in January 2010.  Nationally, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in November 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) – November 2015

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