Tough national economy continues to increase Illinois jobless rate

[April 24, 2009]  CHICAGO -- Unemployment rates in all 12 Illinois metro areas were above previous-year levels in March, according to data released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

The metro areas that reported the largest unemployment rate increases were Rockford, up 5.1 points to 13.5 percent; Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, up 3.7 points to 9.3 percent; Kankakee-Bradley, up 3.7 points to 11.9 percent; Danville, up 3.6 points to 10.9 percent; and Peoria, up 3.6 points to 8.9 percent. Eleven metropolitan areas reported their highest March unemployment rates in more than 20 years.

Over the year, the total number of payroll jobs decreased in 10 metro areas and increased in two. The largest percentage declines in total payroll jobs were reported in Kankakee-Bradley, down by 4.0 percent and 1,800 jobs; Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, down 3.7 percent and 142,700 jobs; and Rockford, down 2.7 percent and 4,200 jobs.

Eight metro areas reported job growth in educational and health services over the year. However, 10 metro areas reported job decreases in manufacturing and nine in professional and business services.

(See unemployment tables below for details.)

"The length of this national recession has activated the extended benefit program that provides 13 additional weeks of unemployment insurance for workers who have been without a job for more than one year," said IDES Director Maureen O'Donnell. "Investments that create jobs, such as the Illinois Jobs Now! program pursued by the governor, are critical to growing local economies throughout the state."

[Text from Illinois Department of Employment Security file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]

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Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates

Metropolitan Area	Mar. 2009*	Mar. 2008
Bloomington-Normal	6.3%	4.6%
Champaign-Urbana	6.9%	4.9%
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet	9.3%	5.6%
Danville	10.9%	7.3%
Davenport-Moline-Rock Isl.	7.4%	5.0%
Decatur	9.8%	6.5%
Kankakee-Bradley	11.9%	8.2%
Lake-Kenosha, IL-WI	9.7%	6.3%
Peoria	8.9%	5.3%
Rockford	13.5%	8.4%
Springfield	6.8%	5.3%
St. Louis (IL-Section)	9.5%	6.8%
* Data subject to revision.

Total Non-Farm Jobs (Not Seasonally Adjusted) – March 2009

Metropolitan Area	March 2009*	March 2008**	Over-the-Year Change
Bloomington-Normal MSA	91,400	91,000	400
Champaign-Urbana MSA	116,000	113,800	2,200
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet Metro Div.	3,673,900	3,816,600	-142,700
Danville MSA	30,100	30,600	-500
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA	187,000	187,900	-900
Decatur MSA	53,400	54,500	-1,100
Kankakee-Bradley MSA	42,700	44,500	-1,800
Lake County-Kenosha County Metro Div.	383,800	392,700	-8,900
Peoria MSA	187,300	187,400	-100
Rockford MSA	154,000	158,200	-4,200
Springfield MSA	110,100	110,800	-700
Illinois Section of St. Louis MSA	239,200	241,300	-2,100
	*Preliminary    **Revised

[Tables copied from Illinois Department of Employment Security file]