April 2, 2024 – Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in eleven metropolitan areas and decreased in three for the year ending February 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 a +0.5 percentage point to 6.4 percent in February 2024 from 5.9 percent in February 2023. There were an estimated 2,811 unemployed people in the labor force in February 2024.
The number of total nonfarm jobs in the Decatur metro area decreased by -1,600 compared to last February.
Employment increased in the Government (+200), Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+100) and Other Services (+100) sectors.
Payrolls were unchanged in Retail Trade, Wholesale Trade, Information, Financial Activities and Professional-Business Services.
Payroll employment decreased in Construction-Mining (-900), Educational-Health Services (-600), Manufacturing (-300) and Leisure-Hospitality (-200) between February 2023 and February 2024.
