Jobs up in ten metros, Kankakee with marked improvement

Unemployment rates decreased over-the-year in August in thirteen of Illinois’s metropolitan areas and was unchanged in one, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Data also show nonfarm jobs increased in ten of the metropolitan areas.

“The unemployment rate continued its downward trend in all metro areas except one where it was unchanged,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “These are some of the lowest unemployment rates we have seen in years. In fact, for the sixth consecutive month, the Chicago metro area had its lowest unemployment rate on record.”

Kankakee County's unemplyment is at 4.7% -- down from 5.1% in August of 2017.

Iroquois and Ford County shows improvement too.  Iroquois County is 3.9% -- down from 4.1 last year.  Ford County unemployment is 4.6%  -- down from 4.9%.  The Vermilion County area improved from 6.8% a year ago to 5.9%.

Illinois businesses added jobs in ten metro areas, with the largest increases in: Kankakee (+6.2 percent, +2,900), Champaign-Urbana (+1.6 percent, +1,700), the Quad Cities (+1.1 percent, + 2,100), and Rockford (+1.1 percent, +1,600). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division increased (+0.8 percent or +28,400). Illinois businesses lost jobs in three metro areas: Carbondale-Marion (-0.9 percent, -500), Springfield (-0.3 percent, -400), and Bloomington (-0.2 percent, -200). Total nonfarm jobs were unchanged in Peoria.

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