Jobless rate in Chicago area falls to 9.2 percent in July
BY FRANCINE KNOWLES Business Reporter fknowles@suntimes.com August 23, 2012 1:52PM
Updated: September 25, 2012 10:48AM
The unemployment rate in the Chicago metropolitan area fell to 9.2 percent in July, down from 10.8 percent a year earlier and from 9.4 percent in June, according to the monthly report released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
The Chicago area added 30,200 jobs since July 2011.
The jobless rate dropped in five metropolitan areas in the state, rose in four and was unchanged in three, according to the report, which is not seasonally adjusted.
The highest unemployment rate in the state was in the Rockford area at 11.8 percent. But that was down from 12.7 percent. The second highest rate was in the Decatur area at 11.6 percent, up from 11 percent a year earlier.
The lowest unemployment rates in the state were in the Bloomington-Normal area at 7.7 percent, unchanged from July 2011; and the Peoria area, at 8.1 percent, down from 8.9 percent.
The Peoria area added 4,000 jobs year-over-year, the second highest number behind the Chicago area. The Rockford area added 1,700 jobs, the third highest.
The biggest job losses were in the Illinois section of the St. Louis metropolitan area, which shed 4,100 jobs; and the Decatur area, which lost 1,900.
“Today’s data reflects the nature of this uneven recovery with several but not all areas of our state showing an improved unemployment situation,” IDES Director Jay Rowell said in a statement. “Stronger consumer confidence nationally is needed for the employment situation to consistently improve in all corners of our state.”
