New employment data indicates a shrinking workforce in Bloomington-Normal.
Bloomington-Normal is the only metro area in Illinois that lost jobs over the last year, even as the economy re-emerges from COVID pandemic restrictions.
The Twin Cities lost about 500 nonfarm jobs since from August 2020 to last month, even though the area's unemployment rate fell close to two points year-to-year, according to data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security released Thursday.
The biggest job losses were in the financial activities sector. It's down about 1,100. Government jobs fell by 400. Gains in Leisure-Hospitality (+600), Construction (+500), and Educational-Health Services (+300) offset some of those job losses. Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+100), and Manufacturing (+100) also added to the workforce over the last year.
The Bloomington-Normal unemployment rate rose in August to 5.2%. That’s up from 4.9% in July, but down from 6.8% in August 2020.
Bloomington-Normal has the second lowest jobless rate in the state, behind the Quad Cities area of Davenport (Iowa), Moline and Rock Island (5.1%)
Statewide unemployment is at 6.8%.
