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SPRINGFIELD - Unemployment rates around the Riverbend region remained close to a year ago in a November 2023 to November 2022 comparison.
Madison County is at 3.8 percent in November 2023 compared to 3.4 percent in 2022, while Jersey is 3.4 percent compared to 3.1 percent a year ago, Macoupin is 3.7 percent compared to 3.4 percent a year ago. Calhoun is at 3.4 percent compared to 3.7 percent a year ago.
The unemployment rate in the City of Alton in November was 5.2 percent vs. 4.9 percent a year ago. Edwardsville's rate was 2.8 percent compared to 2.8 percent a year ago and Granite City is at 4.2 percent compared to 3.4 percent a year ago.
Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in ten metropolitan areas and decreased in four for the year ending November 2023, 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 eleven metropolitan areas and decreased in three.
“Further job growth continues to expand throughout every corner of the state across a variety of industry sectors, creating new opportunities for workers,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “IDES and its workforce partners are committed to assisting both employers and jobseekers with available resources to find the right fit for their workforce and employment needs.”
The metro areas that had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Danville MSA (+3.0%, +800), the Springfield MSA (+1.5%, +1,700), and the Carbondale-Marion MSA (+1.5%, +900). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Metro were up +0.9% or +34,500. The metro areas with the largest over-the-year percentage decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Decatur MSA (-1.4%, -700), the Rockford MSA (-1.1%, -1,600), and the Kankakee MSA (-0.7%, -300). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Government (twelve areas); Education and Health Services (ten areas); and Leisure and Hospitality (nine areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Lake County IL-WI Metro (+0.4 point to 3.9%), the Rockford MSA (+0.4 point to 5.2%), the Decatur MSA (+0.3 point to 5.1%), and the Elgin Metro (+0.3 point to 4.1%). The unemployment rate fell in the Carbondale-Marion MSA (-0.1 point to 3.7%), the Chicago Metro (-0.1 point to 4.3%), and the Springfield MSA (-0.1 point to 3.5%)
Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Metropolitan Area | November 2023* | November 2022** | Over-the-Year Change |
Bloomington | 3.4% | 3.2% | 0.2 |
Carbondale-Marion | 3.7% | 3.8% | -0.1 |
Champaign-Urbana | 3.5% | 3.3% | 0.2 |
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 4.3% | 4.4% | -0.1 |
Danville | 4.8% | 4.6% | 0.2 |
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3.7% | 3.5% | 0.2 |
Decatur | 5.1% | 4.8% | 0.3 |
Elgin | 4.1% | 3.8% | 0.3 |
Kankakee | 4.9% | 4.8% | 0.1 |
Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI | 3.9% | 3.5% | 0.4 |
Peoria | 4.1% | 4.0% | 0.1 |
Rockford | 5.2% | 4.8% | 0.4 |
Springfield | 3.5% | 3.6% | -0.1 |
St. Louis (IL-Section) | 3.7% | 3.5% | 0.2 |
Illinois Statewide | 4.2% | 4.2% | 0.0 |
* Preliminary I ** Revised |
Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - November 2023
Metropolitan Area | November | November | Over-the-Year |
2023* | 2022** | Change | |
Bloomington MSA | 99,200 | 99,100 | 100 |
Carbondale-Marion MSA | 59,700 | 58,800 | 900 |
Champaign-Urbana MSA | 124,700 | 123,900 | 800 |
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,853,700 | 3,819,200 | 34,500 |
Danville MSA | 27,900 | 27,100 | 800 |
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 186,700 | 185,700 | 1,000 |
Decatur MSA | 48,300 | 49,000 | -700 |
Elgin Metro Division | 269,400 | 266,700 | 2,700 |
Kankakee MSA | 43,200 | 43,500 | -300 |
Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 422,100 | 420,800 | 1,300 |
Peoria MSA | 172,600 | 172,900 | -300 |
Rockford MSA | 148,000 | 149,600 | -1,600 |
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Springfield MSA | 111,800 | 110,100 | 1,700 |
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 243,200 | 241,000 | 2,200 |
Illinois Statewide | 6,218,300 | 6,158,000 | 60,300 |
*Preliminary | **Revised |
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
Labor Market Area | Nov 2023 | Nov 2022 | Over-the-Year Change | ||
St. Louis (IL-Section) | 3.7 % | 3.5 % | 0.2 | ||
Bond County | 3.3 % | 3.3 % | 0.0 | ||
Calhoun County | 3.4 % | 3.8 % | -0.4 | ||
Clinton County | 2.6 % | 2.6 % | 0.0 | ||
Jersey County | 3.4 % | 3.1 % | 0.3 | ||
Macoupin County | 3.7 % | 3.4 % | 0.3 | ||
Madison County | 3.8 % | 3.4 % | 0.4 | ||
Monroe County | 2.7 % | 2.6 % | 0.1 | ||
St. Clair County | 4.0 % | 3.9 % | 0.1 | ||
Cities | |||||
Alton City | 5.2 % | 4.9 % | 0.3 | ||
Belleville City | 4.5 % | 4.2 % | 0.3 | ||
Collinsville City | 3.8 % | 3.2 % | 0.6 | ||
East St. Louis City | 6.4 % | 6.4 % | 0.0 | ||
Edwardsville City | 2.8 % | 2.8 % | 0.0 | ||
Granite City | 4.2 % | 3.4 % | 0.8 | ||
O'Fallon City | 3.5 % | 3.2 % | 0.3 | ||
Counties | |||||
Greene County | 3.5 % | 3.9 % | -0.4 | ||
Randolph County | 3.2 % | 3.2 % | 0.0 | ||
Washington County | 2.2 % | 2.2 % | 0.0 | ||
Other Areas | |||||
LWIA 21 | 3.8 % | 3.7 % | 0.1 | ||
LWIA 22 | 3.7 % | 3.4 % | 0.3 | ||
LWIA 24 | 3.6 % | 3.5 % | 0.1 | ||
Southwestern EDR | 3.7 % | 3.4 % | 0.3 |
Metro East Highlights
The November 2023 unemployment rate for the Illinois Section of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area was 3.7 percent. The unemployment rate increased +0.2 percentage point from the November 2022 rate of 3.5 percent. The data are not seasonally adjusted.
The labor force expanded by +10,285 participants between November 2022 and November 2023, from 334,780 to 345,065. During that time, the estimated number of residents employed increased by +9,126, from 323,122 to 332,248. There were 12,817 unemployed people in the labor force in November 2023. The number of unemployed persons increased by +1,159 compared to the 11,658 unemployed persons in November 2022.
Total nonfarm payrolls increased by +2,200 jobs in November 2023 to 243,200 compared to 241,000 jobs in November 2022.
Payrolls increased in Leisure and Hospitality (+1,300), Professional and Business Services (+500), Mining and Construction (+500), Wholesale Trade (+300), Educational and Health Services (+300), Other Services (+200) and Government (+200).
Employment in the Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities sector was unchanged year-over-year.
Nonfarm payrolls declined in Retail Trade (-600), Financial Activities (-200), Manufacturing (-200) and Information (-100) between November 2022 and November 2023.
Note: Monthly 2022 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2023, 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 2023 data compared to January 2022 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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