The Bloomington-Normal economy has added 1,100 jobs in the past year, as the local jobless rate fell to just 3.8 percent in December, the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported Thursday.
Bloomington-Normal’s 3.8 percent unemployment rate in December is down from 4.9 percent a year ago. It’s the lowest jobless rate for any metro area in Illinois, and it’s lower than the state and national averages.
Total nonfarm jobs locally jumped to 94,500 in December 2017, IDES reported. (The Bloomington-Normal labor force peaked in 2010 at more than 105,000 jobs.) Of the 1,100 new positions since December 2016, the biggest gains were reported in the Construction (+400), Professional and Business Services (+300), and Government (+300) sectors. Declines were reported in Retail Trade, which lost 400 positions in the past year despite the holiday shopping season.
There were an estimated 3,600 unemployed people in the Bloomington-Normal labor force in December, IDES reported.
Unemployment rates decreased in December in all of Illinois’ metro areas for the seventh consecutive month. The statewide jobless rate was 4.7 percent in December; the national average was 3.9 percent.
The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and looking for work. The jobless rate is not tied to collecting unemployment insurance benefits.
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