issued the following announcement on June 24
The number of nonfarm jobs increased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in May 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 over-the-year in all metro areas.
“With reopening activities in full swing throughout the state, today’s numbers indicate Illinois is recovering from the hardest hit months of the pandemic a year ago,” said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes. “While IDES continues to support claimants and administer federal unemployment programs, the Department is committed to assisting individuals to reenter the workforce and matching employers with job-seekers.”
The number of nonfarm jobs increased in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas. The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Springfield MSA (+9.0%, +8,500), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+8.3%, +13,600), and the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+7.8%, +8,400). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metro Division rose by +7.3%, +241,400. The industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Retail Trade and Leisure & Hospitality (fourteen areas each); Other Services and Government (twelve areas each); Mining and Construction (eleven areas); Manufacturing, Transportation, Warehousing and Public Utilities and Education & Health Services (ten areas each); and Wholesale Trade and Professional & Business Service (nine areas each).
Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in all 14 metropolitan areas; the areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Rockford MSA (-11.9 points to 8.4%), the Carbondale-Marion MSA (-11.0 points to 5.1%) and the Elgin Metropolitan Division (-10.3 points to 5.3%). The Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division unemployment rate fell -7.9 points to 7.9%. The unemployment rate also decreased over-the-year in all 102 counties.
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
Metropolitan Area
May 2021*
May 2020**
Over-the-Year Change
Bloomington
4.2%
11.5%
-7.3
Carbondale-Marion
5.1%
16.1%
-11.0
Champaign-Urbana
4.3%
10.4%
-6.1
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights
7.9%
15.8%
-7.9
Danville
5.8%
14.8%
-9.0
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
5.0%
14.0%
-9.0
Decatur
6.9%
15.2%
-8.3
Elgin
5.3%
15.6%
-10.3
Kankakee
5.8%
14.3%
-8.5
Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI
4.6%
13.3%
-8.7
Peoria
5.5%
15.4%
-9.9
Rockford
8.4%
20.3%
-11.9
Springfield
5.0%
14.1%
-9.1
St. Louis (IL-Section)
4.6%
14.0%
-9.4
Illinois Statewide
6.7%
15.3%
-8.6
* Preliminary I ** Revised
Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) –May 2021
Over-the-Year
Metropolitan Area
May 2021*
May 2020**
Change
Bloomington MSA
87,300
82,900
4,400
Carbondale-Marion MSA
54,300
51,100
3,200
Champaign-Urbana MSA
115,600
107,200
8,400
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division
3,537,300
3,295,900
241,400
Danville MSA
26,500
24,900
1,600
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA
178,000
164,400
13,600
Decatur MSA
47,800
45,000
2,800
Elgin Metro Division
242,100
225,500
16,600
Kankakee MSA
42,500
41,500
1,000
Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division
402,700
374,800
27,900
Peoria MSA
162,500
151,500
11,000
Rockford MSA
135,200
129,200
6,000
Springfield MSA
103,400
94,900
8,500
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA
232,000
216,300
15,700
Illinois Statewide
5,760,300
5,362,600
397,700
*Preliminary | **Revised
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
Labor Market Area
May 2021
May 2020
Over the Year Change
Decatur MSA
Macon County
6.9 %
15.2 %
-8.3
Springfield MSA
Menard County
3.5 %
11.1 %
-7.6
Sangamon County
5.1 %
14.3 %
-9.2
Cities
Decatur City
8.3 %
17.3 %
-9.0
Rock Island City
5.6 %
18.2 %
-12.6
Springfield City
5.9 %
15.4 %
-9.5
Counties
Adams County
3.4 %
11.4 %
-8.0
Brown County
2.1 %
6.4 %
-4.3
Calhoun County
4.3 %
14.2 %
-9.9
Christian County
4.7 %
12.8 %
-8.1
De Witt County
4.4 %
10.0 %
-5.6
Greene County
3.8 %
9.8 %
-6.0
Hancock County
3.8 %
12.1 %
-8.3
Jersey County
3.8 %
13.3 %
-9.5
Logan County
4.2 %
10.7 %
-6.5
McDonough County
4.4 %
10.6 %
-6.2
Macoupin County
3.9 %
11.9 %
-8.0
Montgomery County
4.8 %
14.7 %
-9.9
Morgan County
4.3 %
10.6 %
-6.3
Moultrie County
3.0 %
7.8 %
-4.8
Piatt County
3.3 %
8.7 %
-5.4
Pike County
3.5 %
9.1 %
-5.6
Schuyler County
3.2 %
9.7 %
-6.5
Scott County
3.9 %
10.2 %
-6.3
Shelby County
3.6 %
11.6 %
-8.0
Other Areas
LWIA 19
6.6 %
14.6 %
-8.0
LWIA 20
4.9 %
13.5 %
-8.6
LWIA 21
4.1 %
11.8 %
-7.7
Central EDR
5.0 %
13.4 %
-8.4
Central Illinois Highlights
Decatur MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 6.9 percent in May 2021 from 15.2 percent in May 2020. There were an estimated 3,183 unemployed people in the labor force in May 2021.
The number of total nonfarm jobs in the Decatur metro area increased by +2,800 compared to one year ago.
Employment increased in Leisure and Hospitality (+1,600), Government (+600), Manufacturing (+400), Retail Trade (+300), Other Services (+300), and Construction and Mining (+200).
Payrolls were unchanged in Wholesale Trade, Professional and Business Services, and Information.
May payrolls posted declines in Educational and Health Services (-300), Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities
(-200), and Financial Activities (-100).
Springfield MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.0 percent in May 2021 from 14.1 percent in May 2020. There were an estimated 5,044 unemployed people in the labor force in May 2021.
The number of total nonfarm jobs in the Springfield metro area increased by +8,500 compared to one year ago.
Payrolls increased in Leisure and Hospitality (+3,400), Educational and Health Services (+1,600), Retail Trade (+1,500), Professional and Business Services (+1,100), Other Services (+600), Information (+300), Mining and Construction (+200), and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (+100).
No payroll changes were reported in Wholesale Trade.
Payrolls declined in Government (-100), Financial Activities
(-100), and Manufacturing (-100).
Note: Monthly 2020 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2021, 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. The official monthly unemployment rate series for metro areas, counties and most cities begins in 1990. The official monthly nonfarm jobs series for metro areas begins in 1990 and for non-metropolitan counties it begins in 1999.
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