March 13, 2023 -Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in eight metropolitan areas, decreased in five and was unchanged in one for the year ending January 2024, 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 all fourteen metropolitan areas.
In Decatur, the not-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased +1.1 percentage points to 6.8 percent in January 2024 from 5.7 percent in January 2022. There were an estimated 2,548 unemployed people in the labor force in January 2024.
The number of total nonfarm jobs in the Decatur metro area decreased by -1,200 compared to last January. Employment increased in the Retail Trade (+100), Government (+100), Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+100) and Other Services (+100) sectors.
Payrolls were unchanged in Information, Wholesale Trade, Financial Activities and Professional-Business Services.
Payroll employment decreased in Construction-Mining (-900), Educational-Health Services (-400), Manufacturing (-200) and Leisure-Hospitality (-100) between January 2023 and January 2024.
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were in Decatur MSA (+1.1 points to 6.8%), the Kankakee MSA (+1.1 points to 7.5%), and the Rockford MSA (+1.1 points to 7.3%). The Chicago Metro Division unemployment rate increased +0.1 point to 4.5%.
