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Unemployment in Decatur increased in August over last year

Oct 2, 2023 | 10:28 AM

October 2, 2023 – Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in eleven metropolitan areas, decreased in two, and was unchanged in one for the year ending August 2023, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). Over-the-year, the unemployment rate increased in thirteen metropolitan areas and decreased in one.

In Decatur, the not-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased 1.7 percentage points to 7.2 percent in August 2023 from 5.5 percent in August 2022. There were an estimated 3,357 unemployed people in the labor force in August 2023.
The number of total nonfarm jobs in the Decatur metro area was unchanged from a year ago.
Employment increased in Educational-Health Services (+200), Construction-Mining (+100), Government (+100) and Retail Trade (+100).
Payrolls were unchanged in Professional-Business Services, Information, Wholesale Trade, Financial Activities, Leisure- Hospitality, Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities and Other Services.

Payroll employment decreased in Manufacturing (-500) between August 2022 and August 2023.

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Elgin Metro (+2.5 %, +6,400), the Danville MSA (+2.2%, +600), and the Springfield MSA (+2.0%, +2,200). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metro were up +0.9% or +35,700. Total nonfarm jobs were down in the Kankakee MSA (-0.5%, -200), and the Rockford MSA (-0.2%, -300) and unchanged in the Decatur MSA. Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metros included: Education & Health Services (thirteen areas); Leisure & Hospitality (twelve areas); and Government (eleven areas).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Danville MSA (+2.0 points to 7.1%), the Rockford MSA (+1.9 points to 7.4%), and the Decatur MSA (+1.7 points to 7.2%). The only metro area with an unemployment rate decrease was the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metropolitan Division (-0.2 percentage point to 5.0%).