For Immediate Release – January 25, 2024
Jobs Up in Majority of Metro Areas in December
Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
| Metropolitan Area | December 2023* | December 2022** | Over-the-Year Change |
| Bloomington | 3.8% | 2.9% | 0.9 |
| Carbondale-Marion | 4.2% | 3.5% | 0.7 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 4.0% | 3.1% | 0.9 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 3.9% | 4.2% | -0.3 |
| Danville | 5.4% | 4.4% | 1.0 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3.9% | 3.6% | 0.3 |
| Decatur | 5.7% | 4.5% | 1.2 |
| Elgin | 5.1% | 4.0% | 1.1 |
| Kankakee | 5.9% | 4.7% | 1.2 |
| Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI | 4.8% | 3.7% | 1.1 |
| Peoria | 4.8% | 3.9% | 0.9 |
| Rockford | 5.9% | 4.6% | 1.3 |
| Springfield | 3.9% | 3.4% | 0.5 |
| St. Louis (IL-Section) | 4.0% | 3.2% | 0.8 |
| Illinois Statewide | 4.2% | 4.0% | 0.2 |
| * Preliminary I ** Revised |
SPRINGFIELD – Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in eight metropolitan areas, decreased in five and was unchanged in one for the year ending December 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 thirteen metropolitan areas and decreased in one.
“We are pleased to see continued positive economic trends across Illinois,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “IDES remains committed to sustaining a viable workforce ecosystem in which jobseekers and employers remain engaged and connected.”
The metro areas that had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Danville MSA (+1.8%, +500) and the Springfield MSA (+1.7%, +1,900). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metro were up +0.8% or +31,600. The metro areas with the largest over-the-year percentage decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Kankakee MSA (-1.6%, -700) and the Decatur MSA (-1.4%, -700). Peoria MSA saw no change in total nonfarm jobs. The industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Education and Health Services (eleven areas); Leisure and Hospitality and Government (ten areas each); Mining and Construction (nine areas); and Other Services (eight areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Rockford MSA (+1.3 points to 5.9%), the Decatur MSA (+1.2 points to 5.7%), and the Kankakee MSA (+1.2 points to 5.9%). The unemployment rate fell in the Chicago Metro (-0.3 point to 3.9%).
Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – December 2023
| Metropolitan Area | December | December | Over-the-Year |
| 2023* | 2022** | Change | |
| Bloomington MSA | 97,900 | 98,100 | -200 |
| Carbondale-Marion MSA | 59,300 | 58,500 | 800 |
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | 120,500 | 120,200 | 300 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division | 3,835,900 | 3,804,300 | 31,600 |
| Danville MSA | 27,700 | 27,200 | 500 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA | 185,300 | 184,300 | 1,000 |
| Decatur MSA | 48,200 | 48,900 | -700 |
| Elgin Metro Division | 268,300 | 264,600 | 3,700 |
| Kankakee MSA | 43,000 | 43,700 | -700 |
| Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division | 419,900 | 421,600 | -1,700 |
| Peoria MSA | 172,200 | 172,200 | 0 |
| Rockford MSA | 148,100 | 149,600 | -1,500 |
| Springfield MSA | 111,500 | 109,600 | 1,900 |
| Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA | 244,400 | 241,600 | 2,800 |
| Illinois Statewide | 6,181,600 | 6,125,300 | 56,300 |
| *Preliminary | **Revised |
Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates
(percent) for Local Counties and Areas
| Labor Market Area | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Over-the-Year Change | ||
| Champaign-Urbana MSA | |||||
| Champaign County | 4.0 % | 3.1 % | 0.9 | ||
| Ford County | 3.9 % | 3.6 % | 0.3 | ||
| Piatt County | 3.7 % | 2.9 % | 0.8 | ||
| Danville MSA | |||||
| Vermilion County | 5.4 % | 4.4 % | 1.0 | ||
| Cities | |||||
| Champaign City | 4.1 % | 2.9 % | 1.2 | ||
| Urbana City | 4.1 % | 3.3 % | 0.8 | ||
| Danville City | 6.3 % | 4.9 % | 1.4 | ||
| Counties | |||||
| Clark County | 4.9 % | 3.9 % | 1.0 | ||
| Coles County | 4.1 % | 3.5 % | 0.6 | ||
| Cook County | 4.0 % | 4.4 % | -0.4 | ||
| De Witt County | 4.2 % | 3.7 % | 0.5 | ||
| Douglas County | 3.2 % | 3.0 % | 0.2 | ||
| Edgar County | 3.4 % | 2.8 % | 0.6 | ||
| Iroquois County | 4.8 % | 4.0 % | 0.8 | ||
| McLean County | 3.7 % | 2.9 % | 0.8 | ||
| Macon County | 5.7 % | 4.5 % | 1.2 | ||
| Moultrie County | 3.5 % | 2.8 % | 0.7 | ||
| Sangamon County | 4.0 % | 3.4 % | 0.6 | ||
| Shelby County | 4.6 % | 3.7 % | 0.9 | ||
| Other Areas | |||||
| LWIA 17 | 4.0 % | 3.2 % | 0.8 | ||
| LWIA 18 | 5.4 % | 4.4 % | 1.0 | ||
| East Central EDR | 4.2 % | 3.4 % | 0.8 | ||
East Central Illinois Highlights
Champaign-Urbana MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 4.0 percent in December 2023 from 3.1 percent in December 2022.
Nonfarm employment increased by +300 compared to last December.
Government (+1,100), Leisure-Hospitality (+500), Educational-Health Services (+300) and Other Services (+100) had payroll gains over-the-year. The Professional-Business Services (-800), Retail Trade (-400), Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (-200), Manufacturing (-200) and Information (-100) sectors had employment declines from a year ago.
Danville MSA
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 5.4 percent in December 2023 from 4.4 percent in December 2022.
Nonfarm employment increased by +500 compared to last December.
Leisure-Hospitality (+500), Educational-Health Services (+100) and Mining-Construction (+100) had payroll gains over-the-year. Manufacturing (-100) and Government (-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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