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Illinois Department of Employment Security Director Jeff Mays said job growth within the state was secluded to certain metro areas, based on employment data on August activity.
Not seasonally adjusted, the U.S. reported an unemployment rate of 5 percent in August, while Illinois' was higher, at 5.5 percent. For seasonally adjusted jobs, the nation holds a 4.9 percent unemployment rate, while Illinois is again at 5.5 percent.
“Job growth is primarily confined to metro areas north of the I-80 corridor, and even though it is growth, it is anemic growth when compared to other major metro areas across the country such as New York, Los Angeles and Dallas,” Mays said. “And many of the downstate metros still haven’t fully recovered from the recession.”
Some counties within Illinois reported unemployment rates as high as 8.4 percent. Edwards and Richland Counties reported 5.2 and 5.8 percent, respectively. Hamilton County reported a 6.1 percent jobless rate, and White County was at 6.2 percent. Jefferson and Wabash Counties were both sitting at 6.5 percent, Gallatin County reported 7.6 percent, Franklin was at 8 percent, Saline 8.1 percent and Wayne County 8.4 percent.
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