Statewide Unemployment Rate Down, Payroll Jobs Up

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced that the unemployment rate fell -0.1% to 5.0%, while nonfarm payrolls increased by 8,600 in January, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s unemployment rate was one percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate reported for January, which was 4.0% , up +0.1 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was down -2.1 percentage points from a year ago when it was at 7.1%. The number of unemployed workers was down from the prior month, a -2.1 percent decrease to 317,600, and was down -28.5 percent over the same month for one year ago. The labor force was up +0.6 percent over-the-month and up +1.7 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment.