For Release
Unemployment Down in 11 of 12 Metro Areas in Illinois
Year-Over-Year Job Growth Continues Across Chicagoland Area
SPRINGFIELD – 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%).
Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
|
Metropolitan Area |
March 2025* |
March 2024** |
Over-
the-Year Change |
| Bloomington | 3.3% | 3.8% | -0.5 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 3.3% | 4.4% | -1.1 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg | 5.5% | 4.8% | 0.7 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island (IL Section) | 5.0% | 5.6% | -0.6 |
| Decatur | 5.4% | 6.2% | -0.8 |
| Elgin | 4.4% | 5.8% | -1.4 |
| Kankakee | 5.1% | 6.4% | -1.3 |
| Lake | 4.6% | 6.2% | -1.6 |
| Peoria | 4.4% | 5.2% | -0.8 |
| Rockford | 5.0% | 6.5% | -1.5 |
| Springfield | 3.8% | 4.4% | -0.6 |
| St. Louis (IL Section) | 3.4% | 4.5% | -1.1 |
| Illinois Statewide | 5.0% | 5.0% | 0.0 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised | |||
Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – March 2025
| Metropolitan Area | March | March | Over-the-Year |
| 2025* | 2024** | Change | |
| Bloomington | 94,500 | 96,900 | -2,400 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 122,900 | 120,600 | 2,300 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg | 3,766,300 | 3,756,300 | 10,000 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island (IL Section) | 87,700 | 89,300 | -1,600 |
| Decatur | 46,200 | 47,400 | -1,200 |
| Elgin | 294,200 | 290,500 | 3,700 |
| Kankakee | 42,900 | 42,800 | 100 |
| Lake | 339,200 | 337,200 | 2,000 |
| Peoria | 170,900 | 171,400 | -500 |
| Rockford | 145,100 | 144,200 | 900 |
| Springfield | 111,200 | 111,400 | -200 |
| St. Louis (IL Section) | 239,800 | 240,900 | -1,100 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,107,000 | 6,079,500 | 27,500 |
| *Preliminary | **Revised | |||
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates (percent) for Local Counties and Areas
|
Labor Market Area |
Mar 2025 |
Mar 2024 |
Over-the- Year Change |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 3.3% | 4.4% | –1.1 |
| Champaign County | 3.3% | 4.4% | -1.1 |
| Ford County | 3.6% | 4.5% | -0.9 |
| Piatt County | 3.0% | 3.8% | -0.8 |
| Danville Area | |||
| Vermilion County | 5.0% | 5.7% | -0.7 |
| Cities | |||
| Champaign City | 3.2% | 4.3% | -1.1 |
| Urbana City | 3.2% | 4.5% | -1.3 |
| Danville City | 5.6% | 6.6% | -1.0 |
| Counties | |||
| Clark County | 4.0% | 5.6% | -1.6 |
| Coles County | 3.3% | 4.0% | -0.7 |
| Cook County | 5.7% | 4.9% | 0.8 |
| De Witt County | 3.6% | 4.4% | -0.8 |
| Douglas County | 3.0% | 3.5% | -0.5 |
| Edgar County | 3.5% | 4.5% | -1.0 |
| Iroquois County | 4.7% | 5.8% | -1.1 |
| McLean County | 3.3% | 3.8% | -0.5 |
| Macon County | 5.4% | 6.2% | -0.8 |
| Moultrie County | 3.3% | 3.8% | -0.5 |
| Sangamon County | 3.8% | 4.4% | -0.6 |
| Shelby County | 3.6% | 4.5% | -0.9 |
| Other Areas | |||
| LWIA 17 | 3.4% | 4.4% | -1.0 |
| LWIA 18 | 5.0% | 5.7% | -0.7 |
| East Central EDR | 3.6% | 4.7% | -1.1 |
East Central Illinois Highlights
Champaign-Urbana MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.3 percent in March 2025 decreased from 4.4 percent in March 2024.
Over-the-year, nonfarm employment increased by +2,300 to the total of 122,900 jobs.
Employment increased in the Government (+1,800), Leisure- Hospitality (+600), Private Education-Health Services (+200), Retail Trade (+200) and Financial Activities (+100) sectors.
Payrolls were unchanged in Mining-Construction, Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities and Wholesale Trade.
Payroll employment decreased in Manufacturing (-200), Professional-Business Services (-200), Information (-100) and Other Services (-100) between March 2024 and March 2025.
Danville Area–Vermilion County
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 5.0 percent in March 2025 decreased from 5.7 percent in March 2024.
Over-the-year, nonfarm employment decreased by -700 to the total of 25,450 jobs.
Employment increased in the Private Education-Health Services (+375), Leisure-Hospitality (+100), Financial Activities (+50), Other Services (+25) and Natural Resources- Mining (+25) sectors.
Payrolls were unchanged in Information.
Payroll employment decreased in Trade-Transportation- Utilities (-425), Manufacturing (-275), Government (-225), Construction (-175) and Professional-Business Services (-175) between March 2024 and March 2025.
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.
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