Illinois Department of Employment Security

Bloomington-Normal's labor force grew by 2,600 jobs in the last year as the unemployment rate dropped. State labor data show the Bloomington-Normal labor market area has the lowest unemployment in the state at 3.1%.

Bloomington-Normal added 3,200 jobs over the last year, while the unemployment rate rose slightly.

Job gains in government, retail trade, and educational and health services helped reduce Bloomington-Normal's unemployment to the lowest in Illinois.

Unemployment dropped half a point in Bloomington-Normal last month. The Twin Cities is tied with the Quad Cities for the lowest jobless rate in the state at less than 3.4%, according to state labor data.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the July unemployment rate was 4% for the Bloomington Normal area.

Bloomington-Normal's unemployment rate dipped below 4% last month. The largest job gains were in government, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and construction.

The number of people working in the Bloomington-Normal area last month rose by more than 4% from May of last year.

A state audit released Thursday found nearly $2 billion in federal money intended to help unemployed Illinoisans during the pandemic was lost to fraudulent claims in Illinois.

Bloomington-Normal saw the largest percentage of year-to-year job growth of all 14 metro areas in Illinois.

The Twin Cities' workforce grew by 6,000 in the last year as the area's post-pandemic economic recovery continues.