April 29, 2024 – Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in nine metropolitan areas, decreased in four, and was unchanged in one for the year ending March 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 eleven metropolitan areas, decreased in two, and remained unchanged in one.
In Decatur, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased -0.2 percentage point to 6.2 percent in March 2024 from 6.4 percent in March 2023. There were an estimated 2,755 unemployed people in the labor force in March 2024.
The number of total nonfarm jobs in the Decatur metro area decreased by -1,900 compared to last March.
Employment increased in the Government (+100) and Other Services (+100) sectors.
Payrolls were unchanged in Retail Trade, Wholesale Trade, Information, Financial Activities and Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities.
Payroll employment decreased in Construction-Mining (-1,000), Private Education-Health Services (-600), Manufacturing (-200), Leisure-Hospitality (-200) and Professional-Business Services (-100) between March 2023 and March 2024.