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Business and professional services drive Bloomington-Normal’s job growth

A hiring sign is displayed outside of a Starbucks in Schaumburg, Ill., Friday, April 1, 2022.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
/
AP
A hiring sign is displayed outside of a Starbucks in Schaumburg, Ill., Friday, April 1, 2022.

Bloomington-Normal continues to see improving job numbers as the economy re-emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.

Data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) show the Twin Cities is up 5,800 jobs since March of last year. That marks a 6.6% increase over the last year, the largest improvement among Illinois’ 14 metro areas.

Twin Cities’ unemployment dropped to 3.7% last month. That's the lowest in the state and is down from 3.9% in February and from 5.2% a year ago.

Close to 93,100 workers are on the payroll in McLean County, according to IDES.

Electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive had one of the region's biggest hiring surges in the last year, growing to more than 5,000 employees at its plant in Normal.

The biggest job growth over the last year in McLean County came in Business and Professional Services. That sector added 2,300 jobs, followed by Government (+1,500) and Leisure and Hospitality (+1,300).

Financial Activities (-400) and Retail Trade (-100) have seen the biggest job losses since March 2021.

The jobless rate dropped in 13 of 14 metro areas in Illinois over the last year. Rockford saw its unemployment rate tick up to 8.5% last month.

Statewide unemployment is 4.7%.

Eric Stock is the News Director at WGLT. You can contact Eric at ejstoc1@ilstu.edu.