Jobs Up in Majority of Metro Areas in July

SPRINGFIELD - Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in nine metropolitan areas, decreased in three and was unchanged in two for the year ending July 2024, 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, the unemployment rate increased in all fourteen metropolitan areas.

"Long-term, consistent job growth throughout the state continues to fuel and motivate eager jobseekers and employers to actively engage in the expanding economy," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. "Illinois proudly commits to continue its critical investments in our unique, diverse, and world class workforce and labor market."

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+4.5%, +5,300), the Carbondale-Marion MSA (+2.3%, +1,300), and the Bloomington MSA (+0.7%, +700). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metro Division increased by +0.1% or +4,900. The metro areas which posted over-the-year decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-1.7%, -3,100), the Lake County-Kenosha County IL-WI Metro Division (-0.5%, -2,000), and the Danville MSA (-0.4%, -100). The Decatur MSA and Peoria MSA each had no change in total nonfarm jobs. Industries that saw job growth in most of the metro areas included: Private Education and Health Services and Government (ten areas each); Wholesale Trade (nine areas); and Mining and Construction and Other Services (eight areas each).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division (+2.0 points to 6.4%), the Danville MSA (+1.6 points to 7.9%), the Bloomington MSA (+1.2 points to 5.5%).

Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Metropolitan Area	July 2024*	July  2023**	Over-the-Year Change
Bloomington	5.5%	4.3%	1.2
Carbondale-Marion	5.8%	4.8%	1.0
Champaign-Urbana	5.3%	4.6%	0.7
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights	6.4%	4.4%	2.0
Danville	7.9%	6.3%	1.6
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	5.1%	4.3%	0.8
Decatur	7.4%	6.5%	0.9
Elgin	6.0%	5.0%	1.0
Kankakee	6.6%	5.7%	0.9
Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI	5.3%	4.7%	0.6
Peoria	6.1%	5.2%	0.9
Rockford	6.7%	6.4%	0.3
Springfield	5.3%	4.6%	0.7
St. Louis (IL-Section)	5.5%	4.6%	0.9
Illinois Statewide	6.2%	4.7%	1.5
* Preliminary  I  ** Revised

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - July 2024

Metropolitan Area	July	July	Over-the-Year
	2024*	2023**	Change
Bloomington MSA	97,500	96,800	700
Carbondale-Marion MSA	58,600	57,300	1,300
Champaign-Urbana MSA	123,300	118,000	5,300
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division	3,854,300	3,849,400	4,900
Danville MSA	26,500	26,600	-100
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA	178,900	182,000	-3,100
Decatur MSA	47,500	47,500	0
Elgin Metro Division	263,300	263,000	300
Kankakee MSA	43,100	42,900	200
Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division	424,400	426,400	-2,000
Peoria MSA	170,400	170,400	0
Rockford MSA	146,100	146,000	100
Springfield MSA	108,000	107,700	300
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA	239,800	238,500	1,300
Illinois Statewide	6,180,900	6,133,400	47,500
*Preliminary | **Revised

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

(percent) for Local Counties and Areas

Labor Market Area	Jul 2024	Jul 2023	Over-the-Year Change
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division
Cook County	6.7 %	4.7 %	2.0
DuPage County	5.3 %	3.6 %	1.7
Grundy County	6.8 %	4.4 %	2.4
Kendall County	5.8 %	4.0 %	1.8
McHenry County	5.5 %	3.8 %	1.7
Will County	6.3 %	4.3 %	2.0
Elgin, IL Metro Division
DeKalb County	5.8 %	4.9 %	0.9
Kane County	6.0 %	5.1 %	0.9
Lake & Kenosha, IL-WI Metro Division
Lake County (IL)	5.7 %	4.9 %	0.8
Kankakee, IL MSA
Kankakee County	6.6 %	5.7 %	0.9
Cities
Aurora City	6.1 %	4.8 %	1.3
Chicago City	7.1 %	5.0 %	2.1
Elgin City	6.2 %	4.8 %	1.4
Joliet City	7.1 %	4.9 %	2.2
Kankakee City	8.3 %	7.6 %	0.7
Naperville City	5.5 %	3.8 %	1.7

* Unemployment rates for cities with total population of 25,000 or more can be found at https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/lmi/Pages/Local_Area_Unemployment_Statistics.aspx

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 6.4 percent in July 2024 from 4.4 percent in July 2023.

Total nonfarm employment increased +4,900 compared to July 2023. The Private Education-Health Services (+11,600), Manufacturing (+11,200), Government (+6,300) and Leisure-Hospitality (+4,800) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. The largest employment declines were in Professional-Business Services (-24,600), Financial Activities (-3,200) and Retail Trade (-3,000).

Elgin, IL Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 6.0 percent in July 2024 from 5.0 percent in July 2023.

Total nonfarm employment increased +300 compared to July 2023. The Private Education-Health Services (+1,100), Government (+900) and Manufacturing (+400) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-2,100), Leisure-Hospitality (-400), Construction (-100) and Information (-100) sectors had employment declines from a year ago.

Lake & Kenosha Counties, IL-WI Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 5.3 percent in July 2024 from 4.7 percent in July 2023.

Total nonfarm employment decreased -2,000 compared to July 2023. Leisure-Hospitality (+1,300), Government (+1,200) and Private Education-Health Services (+600) sectors had the largest payroll gains over-the-year. Professional-Business Services (-2,800), Financial Activities (-1,100) and Retail Trade (-1,100) sectors had the largest employment declines from a year ago.

Kankakee, IL MSA

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 6.6 percent in July 2024 from 5.7 percent in July 2023.

Total nonfarm employment increased +200 compared to July 2023. Government (+200), Private Education-Health Services (+200), Retail Trade (+100) and Wholesale Trade (+100) sectors had payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-400) sector recorded the only employment decline over-the-year.

Note: Monthly 2023 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2024, 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 2024 data compared to January 2023 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.