Bloomington-Normal's jobless rate fell again in September and remains the lowest among all metro areas in the state, the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported Thursday.
Unemployment rates fell in September in all 102 counties in Illinois. In Bloomington-Normal, the jobless rate sunk to 3.6 percent last month, down from 5 percent in September 2016, IDES reported.
The local economy added 1,400 nonfarm jobs in the past year, bringing total employment up to 93,700. The biggest gains were in the professional and business services (+700), government (+500), and construction (+400) sectors, IDES reported. The biggest losses were in retail (-400), manufacturing (-100), and wholesale trade (-100).
There were an estimated 3,500 unemployed people in the local labor force in September.
The statewide jobless rate in September was 4.6 percent, and 4.1 percent nationally.
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