For Release
Jobs Up in Most Metro Areas in November
SPRINGFIELD – 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 |
| 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 | ||
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | |||||
| Champaign County | 3.6 % | 3.3 % | 0.3 | ||
| Ford County | 3.4 % | 3.3 % | 0.1 | ||
| Piatt County | 3.1 % | 2.9 % | 0.2 | ||
| Danville MSA | |||||
| Vermilion County | 4.8 % | 4.6 % | 0.2 | ||
| Cities | |||||
| Champaign City | 3.7 % | 3.3 % | 0.4 | ||
| Urbana City | 3.8 % | 3.6 % | 0.2 | ||
| Danville City | 6.0 % | 5.2 % | 0.8 | ||
| Counties | |||||
| Clark County | 3.9 % | 3.7 % | 0.2 | ||
| Coles County | 3.6 % | 3.7 % | -0.1 | ||
| Cook County | 4.6 % | 4.7 % | -0.1 | ||
| De Witt County | 3.7 % | 3.7 % | 0.0 | ||
| Douglas County | 3.0 % | 2.9 % | 0.1 | ||
| Edgar County | 3.0 % | 3.0 % | 0.0 | ||
| Iroquois County | 3.9 % | 3.9 % | 0.0 | ||
| McLean County | 3.3 % | 3.1 % | 0.2 | ||
| Macon County | 5.1 % | 4.8 % | 0.3 | ||
| Moultrie County | 3.0 % | 2.8 % | 0.2 | ||
| Sangamon County | 3.5 % | 3.6 % | -0.1 | ||
| Shelby County | 3.9 % | 3.7 % | 0.2 | ||
| Other Areas | |||||
| LWIA 17 | 3.5 % | 3.3 % | 0.2 | ||
| LWIA 18 | 4.8 % | 4.6 % | 0.2 | ||
| East Central EDR | 3.7 % | 3.5 % | 0.2 | ||
East Central Illinois Highlights
Champaign-Urbana MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 3.5 percent in November 2023 from 3.3 percent in November 2022.
Nonfarm employment increased by +800 compared to last November.
Government (+1,000), Leisure-Hospitality (+800), Educational-Health Services (+400) and Other Services (+100) had payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-800), Retail Trade (-400), Manufacturing (-200) and Information (-100) sectors had employment declines from a year ago.
Danville MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 4.8 percent in November 2023 from 4.6 percent in November 2022.
Nonfarm employment increased by +800 compared to last November.
Leisure-Hospitality (+500), Government (+400) and Financial Activities (+100) had payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-100) and Retail Trade (-100) were the only sectors that had employment declines from a year ago.
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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