SPRINGFIELD - The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in thirteen Illinois metropolitan areas and increased in one in March according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Jobs were up in all metro areas with the exception of one.

"Illinois' economy continues on a positive trajectory," said Deputy Governor Andy Manar.  "We stand ready to support job seekers and employers with innovative resources to connect across the state."

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Bloomington MSA (+6.6%, +5,800), the Chicago Metropolitan Division (+5.1%, +177,600), and the Elgin Metro (+5.0%, +11,900). Total nonfarm jobs were down slightly in Kankakee MSA (-0.5%, -200). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Leisure & Hospitality (fourteen areas); Government (thirteen areas); Wholesale Trade (twelve areas); Manufacturing, Professional & Business Services, and Other Services (ten areas each); Mining & Construction, and Education & Health Services (eight areas each).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Chicago Metropolitan Division (-2.3 points to 4.5%), the Decatur MSA (-2.1 points to 6.8%) and the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-2.0 points to 4.3%). The unemployment rate increased in the Rockford MSA +0.2 point to 8.5%. The unemployment rate decreased over-the-year in 101 counties and increased in one.

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Metropolitan Area	March 2022*	March 2021**	Over-the-Year Change
Bloomington	3.7%	5.2%	-1.5
Carbondale-Marion	4.5%	6.3%	-1.8
Champaign-Urbana	3.8%	5.3%	-1.5
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights	4.5%	6.8%	-2.3
Danville	5.6%	7.3%	-1.7
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	4.3%	6.3%	-2.0
Decatur	6.8%	8.9%	-2.1
Elgin	5.4%	7.3%	-1.9
Kankakee	6.0%	7.7%	-1.7
Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI	4.8%	6.3%	-1.5
Peoria	5.3%	7.0%	-1.7
Rockford	8.5%	8.3%	0.2
Springfield	4.5%	6.4%	-1.9
St. Louis (IL-Section)	4.1%	5.8%	-1.7
Illinois Statewide	4.7%	6.7%	-2.0
* Preliminary  I  ** Revised

Total Nonfarm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) - March 2022

Metropolitan Area	March	March	Over-the-Year
	2022*	2021**	Change
Bloomington MSA	93,100	87,300	5,800
Carbondale-Marion MSA	57,400	55,600	1,800
Champaign-Urbana MSA	116,400	113,600	2,800
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division	3,685,200	3,507,600	177,600
Danville MSA	25,900	25,600	300
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA	179,500	174,700	4,800
Decatur MSA	47,800	46,600	1,200
Elgin Metro Division	249,700	237,800	11,900
Kankakee MSA	42,400	42,600	-200
Lake-County-Kenosha County Metro Division	410,300	398,400	11,900
Peoria MSA	163,800	160,000	3,800
Rockford MSA	142,300	138,000	4,300
Springfield MSA	107,100	103,000	4,100
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA	234,600	233,100	1,500
Illinois Statewide	5,931,100	5,689,900	241,200
* Preliminary | **Revised

Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates (percent) for Local Counties and Areas

Labor Market Area	Mar 2022	Mar 2021	Over the Year Change
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division
Cook County	4.9 %	7.5 %	-2.6
DuPage County	3.0 %	4.8 %	-1.8
Grundy County	4.1 %	5.9 %	-1.8
Kendall County	3.2 %	5.1 %	-1.9
McHenry County	3.4 %	5.3 %	-1.9
Will County	4.2 %	6.3 %	-2.1
Elgin, IL Metro Division
DeKalb County	5.0 %	6.6 %	-1.6
Kane County	5.5 %	7.4 %	-1.9
Lake & Kenosha, IL-WI Metro Division
Lake County (IL)	5.0 %	6.6 %	-1.6
Kankakee, IL MSA
Kankakee County	6.0 %	7.7 %	-1.7
Cities
Aurora City	4.3 %	6.7 %	-2.4
Chicago City	5.0 %	8.0 %	-3.0
Elgin City	8.7 %	9.9 %	-1.2
Joliet City	5.7 %	8.4 %	-2.7
Kankakee City	9.0 %	12.0 %	-3.0
Naperville City	2.1 %	3.9 %	-1.8

* Unemployment rates for cities with total population of 25,000 or more can be found at https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/lmi/Pages/Local_Area_Unemployment_Statistics.aspx

Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.5 percent in March 2022 from 6.8 percent in March 2021.  The last time the March rate was equal to or lower was in 2019 when it was 4.1 percent. 

Total nonfarm employment increased +177,600 compared to March 2021. The Leisure-Hospitality (+65,700), Professional-Business Services (+35,800), Government (+17,700), and Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+17,700) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year.  No sectors had employment declines from a year ago.

Elgin, IL Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 5.4 percent in March 2022 from 7.3 percent in March 2021. The last time the March rate was equal to or lower was in 2020 when it was 5.2 percent.   Total nonfarm employment increased +11,900 compared to March 2021.  The Construction (-100) sector had employment declines from a year ago.  The Professional-Business Services (+3,700), Leisure-Hospitality (+3,200), Retail Trade (+1,900), and Government (+1,100) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year. 

Lake & Kenosha Counties, IL-WI Metro Division

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.8 percent in March 2022 from 6.3 percent in March 2021. The last time the March rate was equal to or lower was in 2020 when it was 4.7 percent.    Total nonfarm employment increased +11,900 compared to March 2021. The Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities  (-200) sector recorded employment declines compared to one year ago. Leisure-Hospitality (+3,900), Professional-Business Services (+2,000), Wholesale Trade (+1,600), Educational-Health Services (+1,000), and Government (+1,000) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year.

Kankakee, IL MSA

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 6.0 percent in March 2022 from 7.7 percent in March 2021.  The last time the March rate was equal to or lower was in 2020 when it was 5.6 percent. 

Total nonfarm employment decreased -200 compared to March 2021. Professional-Business Services (-600) and Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (-100) sectors recorded employment declines compared to one year ago.  The Leisure-Hospitality (+200), Financial Activities (+100), Wholesale Trade (+100), and Government (+100) sectors had the largest payroll gains over the year.

Note:  Monthly 2021 unemployment rates and total nonfarm jobs for Illinois metro areas were revised in February and March 2022, 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. The official monthly unemployment rate series for metro areas, counties and most cities begins in 1990. The official monthly nonfarm jobs series for metro areas begins in 1990 and for non-metropolitan counties it begins in 1999.