March 13, 2025 – The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced that nonfarm payrolls were almost unchanged, down -1,100 (0.0%), while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.9 percent in January, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and released by IDES.
The December monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +8,800 to +12,200 while the revised unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, -0.3 percentage point lower than the preliminary December unemployment rate of 5.2 percent. The January payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.
Compared to a year ago, total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +36,000 jobs. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases included: Private Education and Health Services (+27,500), Government (+25,300), and Leisure and Hospitality (+5,800). The industry groups with the largest jobs decreases included: Professional and Business Services (-17,800), Manufacturing (-5,900), and Construction (-3,400). In January, total nonfarm payrolls were up +0.6 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +1.3 percent in the nation.
In January, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job increases included: Government (+7,900), Financial Activities (+1,800), and Private Education and Health Services (+1,600). The industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll job decreases included: Leisure and Hospitality (-8,700), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-2,400) and Manufacturing (-1,800).
“Despite significant uncertainty and disruption at the federal level, Illinois’ labor market and unemployment remained steady in January, and we’re encouraged to see 36,000 jobs created in Illinois compared to one year ago,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “Looking ahead, IDES and its state and local workforce partners continue to serve jobseekers and provide resources to bolster Illinois’ unmatched workforce.”
“Continued stability in our state’s workforce is a testament to DCEO’s commitment to ensuring Illinoisans have the resources and tools they need to obtain employment,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “We are dedicated to building upon this momentum to bolster the state’s economy.”
The state’s unemployment rate was +0.9 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate reported for January. The national unemployment rate was 4.0 percent in January, down -0.1 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was unchanged from a year ago when it was 4.9 percent.
The number of unemployed workers was 324,100, down -1.3% from the prior month, and up +1.2 percent over the same month one year ago. The labor force was almost unchanged (0.0%) over-the-month and up +1.2 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.
IDES helps connect jobseekers to employers who are hiring in a number of ways, including hosting and co-hosting job fairs and hiring events with statewide workforce partners, and through maintaining Illinois JobLink (IJL), the state’s largest job search engine. IJL is a tool used by jobseekers to look for work, and by employers who can post open and available positions for hire and browse resumes. Recently, IJL showed 63,922 posted resumes with 76,836 jobs available.
