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Local Unemployment Rate Rises In October

AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent in September 2018 the lowest level since December 1969 — signaling how the longest streak of hiring on record has put millions of Americans back to work. ";

The Bloomington-Normal area economy's unemployment rate increased by half of a percentage point between September and October, rising to 4.1 percent.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security estimated Wednesday there are 4,000 people out of work and looking for jobs in the area. The number of nonfarm jobs was unchanged at 95,500, the same as in October 2017.

The Bloomington-Normal jobless rate (4.1 percent) is also up from October 2017, when it was 3.6 percent.

Unemployment
Infogram
The Bloomington-Normal area's Leisure and Hospitality, Government, and Education and Health Services sectors all saw job gains over the last year. Meanwhile, Retail Trade, Manufacturing, Financial Activities, Professional and Business Services, and other service jobs all declined.

The statewide unemployment rate sits at 4.2 percent. The national average is 3.7 percent.

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