For Immediate Release – December 18, 2025
Payroll Jobs Up, Stable in Majority of Metro Areas in September
Chicago Reaches Record Number of September Jobs, Champaign Reaches Record for Third Year in a Row
SPRINGFIELD – Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in 5 metropolitan areas, was unchanged in 1, and decreased in 6, leading to consecutive months with year-over-year growth: Chicago (15 consecutive months); Lake (4 consecutive months); Springfield (23 consecutive months). Over-the-year, the unemployment rate increased in 10 metro areas and decreased in 2 for the year ending September 2025, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES).
“Illinois’ latest metropolitan jobs data reflects a mix of gains and challenges, shaped in part by federal uncertainty from tariffs and the recent 43-day government shutdown that delayed key employment data,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “Even so, record September employment in Chicago and Champaign-Urbana shows Illinois continues to make progress, and the state will remain focused on strategic investments that strengthen our workforce and economy.”
The metro areas which posted the largest over-the-year percentage decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Kankakee MSA (-2.1%, -900), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA, IL Section (-1.7%, -1,500), and the Peoria MSA (-1.0%, -1,700). The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Springfield MSA (+1.6%, +1,800), the Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metro Division (+1.0%, +39,500), and the Lake County Metro Division (+0.4%, +1,300). Total nonfarm jobs were unchanged in Champaign-Urbana MSA. Industries that saw job growth in the majority of the twelve metro areas included: Private Education and Health Services (twelve areas), Government (nine areas), and Mining and Construction (eight areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were a tie between the Decatur MSA (+0.5 point to 5.9%) and the Kankakee MSA (+0.5 point to 5.5%), followed by a tie between the Peoria MSA (+0.4 point to 4.7%) and the Springfield MSA (+0.4 point to 4.3%). The metro areas with unemployment rate decreases were the Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metro Division (-1.0 point to 4.1%) and the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA, IL Section (-0.4 point to 5.5%). The unemployment rate increased over-the-year in 86 counties, decreased in 13 counties, and was unchanged in 3 counties.
| Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates | |||
|
Metropolitan Area |
September 2025* |
September 2024** |
Over- the-Year
Change |
| Bloomington | 3.9% | 3.7% | 0.2 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 4.1% | 3.8% | 0.3 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg | 4.1% | 5.1% | -1.0 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island (IL Section) | 5.5% | 5.9% | -0.4 |
| Decatur | 5.9% | 5.4% | 0.5 |
| Elgin | 4.3% | 4.1% | 0.2 |
| Kankakee | 5.5% | 5.0% | 0.5 |
| Lake | 4.3% | 4.2% | 0.1 |
| Peoria | 4.7% | 4.3% | 0.4 |
| Rockford | 5.2% | 4.9% | 0.3 |
| Springfield | 4.3% | 3.9% | 0.4 |
| St. Louis (IL Section) | 4.2% | 4.0% | 0.2 |
| Illinois Statewide | 4.3% | 4.7% | -0.4 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised | |||
Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – September 2025
| Metropolitan Area | September | September | Over-the-Year |
| 2025* | 2024** | Change | |
| Bloomington | 94,700 | 95,300 | -600 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 122,300 | 122,300 | 0 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg | 3,860,200 | 3,820,700 | 39,500 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island (IL Section) | 86,300 | 87,800 | -1,500 |
| Decatur | 47,500 | 47,400 | 100 |
| Elgin | 297,400 | 299,100 | -1,700 |
| Kankakee | 42,400 | 43,300 | -900 |
| Lake | 350,400 | 349,100 | 1,300 |
| Peoria | 172,600 | 174,300 | -1,700 |
| Rockford | 146,800 | 147,000 | -200 |
| Springfield | 112,000 | 110,200 | 1,800 |
| St. Louis (IL Section) | 244,000 | 243,400 | 600 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,194,400 | 6,175,800 | 18,600 |
| *Preliminary | **Revised | |||
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates (percent) for Local Counties and Areas
|
Labor Market Area |
Sep 2025 |
Sep 2024 |
Over-the- Year Change |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 4.1% | 3.8% | 0.3 |
| Champaign County | 4.1% | 3.9% | 0.2 |
| Ford County | 4.1% | 3.6% | 0.5 |
| Piatt County | 3.5% | 3.0% | 0.5 |
| Danville Area | |||
| Vermilion County | 5.7% | 5.8% | -0.1 |
| Cities | |||
| Champaign City | 4.2% | 4.0% | 0.2 |
| Urbana City | 4.5% | 4.2% | 0.3 |
| Danville City | 6.5% | 7.2% | -0.7 |
| Counties | |||
| Clark County | 5.0% | 4.2% | 0.8 |
| Coles County | 3.9% | 3.6% | 0.3 |
| Cook County | 4.3% | 5.4% | -1.1 |
| De Witt County | 3.9% | 3.8% | 0.1 |
| Douglas County | 3.7% | 3.4% | 0.3 |
| Edgar County | 4.6% | 4.1% | 0.5 |
| Iroquois County | 4.7% | 4.2% | 0.5 |
| McLean County | 3.9% | 3.7% | 0.2 |
| Macon County | 5.9% | 5.4% | 0.5 |
| Moultrie County | 4.0% | 3.5% | 0.5 |
| Sangamon County | 4.3% | 3.9% | 0.4 |
| Shelby County | 4.1% | 3.4% | 0.7 |
| Other Areas | |||
| LWIA 17 | 4.1% | 3.8% | 0.3 |
| LWIA 18 | 5.7% | 5.8% | -0.1 |
| East Central EDR | 4.4% | 4.1% | 0.3 |
East Central Illinois Highlights
Champaign-Urbana MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.1 percent in September 2025 increased from 3.8 percent in September 2024.
Nonfarm employment of 122,300 in September 2025 was unchanged from September 2024.
Employment increased in the Government (+700) and Private Education-Health Services (+100) sectors.
Payrolls were unchanged in Information, Mining-Construction, Other Services, Wholesale Trade and Financial Activities.
Payroll employment decreased in Leisure-Hospitality (-300), Professional-Business Services (-200), Manufacturing (-100), Retail Trade (-100) and Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (-100) between September 2024 and September 2025.
Danville Area–Vermilion County
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 5.7 percent in September 2025 decreased from 5.8 percent in September 2024.
Over-the-year, nonfarm employment decreased by -550 to the total of 25,350 jobs.
Employment increased in the Private Education-Health Services (+150) and Natural Resources-Mining (+25) sectors.
Payrolls were unchanged in Information and Other Services.
Payroll employment decreased in Professional-Business Services (-225), Government (-200), Trade-Transportation-Utilities (-100), Leisure-Hospitality (-50), Manufacturing (-50), Construction (-50) and Financial Activities (-50) between September 2024 and September 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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