* Background is here and here if you need it. From IDES…
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate fell -0.1 percentage point to 4.8 percent in February, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised January unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.9 percent. The Illinois unemployment rate was down -0.1 percentage point from a year ago when it was 4.9 percent. The national unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in February, up +0.1 percentage point from the previous month, making the state’s unemployment +0.7 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate.
Illinois nonfarm payrolls remained nearly unchanged in February at -6,500 (-0.1%), while the January monthly change in payrolls was revised from -1,100 to -4,400. The industry sectors with over-the-month job increases included: Construction (+2,900), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+2,300), and Professional and Business Services (+1,900). The industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll job decreases included: Government (-5,600), Leisure and Hospitality (-3,100), and Private Education and Health Services (-1,700).
Compared to a year ago, total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +19,100 jobs. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases included: Private Education and Health Services (+20,700), Government (+14,900), and Leisure and Hospitality (+5,300). The industry groups with the largest jobs decreases included: Professional and Business Services (-13,900), Manufacturing (-7,300), and Construction (-1,600). In February, total nonfarm payrolls were up +0.3 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +1.2 percent in the nation.
“While this month’s headline unemployment rate shows little change, a deeper look at the report reveals the start of a troubling trend—federal government workers being victim to the chaos unleashed by Elon Musk and the Trump Administration,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “Despite this alarming new trend, the report also reflects the resiliency of the state’s economy, due in part to the investment in key growing industries made by this Administration. IDES stands ready to provide critical resources to support federal employees and contractors impacted by recent terminations.”
Chart…
- Bob - Thursday, Mar 27, 25 @ 1:04 pm:
Proud of Illinois. We’ll look out for the farming communities being impacted by the various freezes and cuts as well. And we’ll be called “communists” for it the whole time.
- Jilted - Thursday, Mar 27, 25 @ 1:13 pm:
Caution…take out gov jobs and then private sector isnt great…not a good sign for buisness on Illinois
- Thomas Paine - Thursday, Mar 27, 25 @ 2:50 pm:
Unemployment rates only tell part of the picture because they do not count people who have given up looking for work.
For a complete picture, you need to know the Labor Force Participation Rate, which is the percent of people 16+ who are working age and either employed or looking for work.
Illinois has the highest Labor Force participation rate of any large state, edging out Texas, and that has been true for the last five years.
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?eid=784070&rid=446
As of January, 2025:
Illinois - 65.1%
Texas - 64.8%
Ohio - 62.4%
California - 62.1%
Michigan - 62%
Penn - 61.6%
Georgia - 61.2%
New York - 60.8%
NC - 59.8%
Florida - 58%
Never rest on your laurels, but Pritzker and Illinois should be proud of how we have endured and recovered in this post-pandemic recovery, and Illinois employers should be touting this workforce data.
Illinoisans are ready to work.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Thursday, Mar 27, 25 @ 3:11 pm:
So basically an up day?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 27, 25 @ 3:36 pm:
===Unemployment rates only tell part===
This post is not about unemployment rates. It’s about the number of jobs. Pay attention.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Mar 27, 25 @ 5:03 pm:
@Jilted- jobs are jobs and every state has “government” jobs. Some more than others. Interestingly, if you cared to look rather than just do the “government jobs” shtick, you would learn that Illinois has consistently (for the last 20 years or more) ranked at or near the bottom of per capita government jobs.
The more you learn here.
- City Zen - Thursday, Mar 27, 25 @ 5:09 pm:
==Pritzker and Illinois should be proud of how we have endured and recovered in this post-pandemic recovery==
Illinois labor force participation rate was higher than those states when Rauner took office too. Most of these states have tracked similar to Illinois over the years.
It’s good we’ve got people ready to work. Now they just need to find it.
- City Zen - Thursday, Mar 27, 25 @ 7:19 pm:
==Illinois has consistently (for the last 20 years or more) ranked at or near the bottom of per capita government jobs.==
Same is true for other high population/GDP states. Economies of scale.