Central IL sees slight increase in unemployment, steady statewide in July

Unemployment Rises Slightly in Central IL, Remains Stable Across State in July

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Although the state’s overall numbers remained steady, cities like Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign experienced slight increases in their unemployment rates last month.

Inflation figures for Illinois last month showed minimal change, mirroring the state’s labor market conditions. The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported that the total nonfarm payrolls saw little fluctuation in June, dropping by 2,500 (equivalent to 0.0%) to a total of 6,165,600. June’s payroll change was adjusted from initial estimates: moving from +9,400 to +2,300.

The industry sectors with largest over-the-month job increases included:

  • Construction (+2,900)
  • Trade, transportation and utilities (+1,700)
  • Private education and health services (+1,100)

On the other hand, the sectors with the largest decreases were:

  • Professional and business services (-3,500)
  • Government (-2,900)
  • Leisure and hospitality (-1,200)

The IDES also said there are 20,300 more nonfarm payroll jobs now, compared to a year ago. The largest growing industries include the following:

  • Private education and health services (+17,400)
  • Government (+7,900)
  • Information (+3,900)

On the other end, the industry sectors with largest decreases in monthly payroll jobs include:

  • Professional and business services (-11,000)
  • Manufacturing (-5,400)
  • Trade, transportation and utilities (-1,700)

Despite the small rise in unemployment in certain areas of Central Illinois, there is positive news: year-over-year unemployment figures have decreased by over 1% in Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign, as per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

“The sustained stability of Illinois’ unemployment rate and labor market underscores the robustness of our state’s workforce,” Deputy Governor Andy Manar stated in a press release. “By fostering strategic investments and strong partnerships, our commitment continues in expanding opportunities and bolstering long-term economic growth for all communities.”

Preliminary data from BLS indicated that Illinois’ unemployment rate was steady at 4.6% in both July and June. The revised figure for June’s unemployment rate also remained at 4.6%.

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