Bloomington-Normal’s jobless rate rose in June, though state officials say that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The Bloomington-Normal metro area’s unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent in June, up from 4.2 percent in June 2017, the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported Thursday. That’s the highest jobless rate for the local economy since July 2017, when it was 4.5 percent. (The local jobless rate is on par with the state’s 4.5 percent and nation’s 4.2 percent overall rates.)
The increase in the unemployment rate in seven Illinois metro areas, including Bloomington-Normal, was “largely due to an increase in the overall labor force brought on by renewed confidence in the local economy,” IDES Director Jeff Mays said in a statement.
“Many people that were unemployed are now out looking for work as more jobs are available,” he said.
There were 93,000 nonfarm jobs in the Bloomington-Normal area in June, up 900 positions from a year ago. The biggest gains since June 2017 were in Leisure and Hospitality (+800 jobs), Professional and Business Services (+500), and Wholesale Trade (+100), IDES reported. Losing 100 positions each were the Educational and Health Services, Retail Trade, Information, Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities, and Government sectors.
There were around 4,200 unemployed people in the local labor force in June, IDES reported.
Unemployment
Infogram
People like you value experienced, knowledgeable and award-winning journalism that covers meaningful stories in Bloomington-Normal. To support more stories and interviews like this one, please consider making a contribution.
