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Jobless Rate Falls Again In Bloomington-Normal

Unemployment insurance claims office
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There were around 3,900 unemployed people in the Bloomington-Normal area.

Bloomington-Normal’s jobless rate has fallen again, making it the lowest among all metro areas in Illinois.

The area’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.1 percent in January 2018, down from 5.5 percent a year ago, the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported Thursday. That was lower than both the statewide (5.3 percent) and national averages (4.5 percent).

The local economy added 600 nonfarm jobs between January 2017 and January 2018, rising to 90,800 positions overall, IDES reported. The biggest gains were in government (added 500 positions), leisure and hospitality (+300), professional and business services (+200), and wholesale trade (+100). The biggest declines were in manufacturing (lost 200 positions).

There were around 3,900 unemployed people in the Bloomington-Normal area.

Meanwhile, the year-over-year jobless rate fell in every metro area in Illinois in January.

“It is encouraging that more people are finding jobs,” IDES Director Jeff Mays said in a statement. “In fact, job growth has become more widespread across the state with 11 of 14 metro areas reporting increases.”

Unemployment
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Ryan Denham is the digital content director for WGLT.
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