Local Area Unemployment Statistics, State and Area Employment, JOLTS · Illinois
How is the job market in Illinois?
The unemployment rate in Illinois was 4.6% in the month ended , against 4.2% for the United States.
Illinois, unemployment, each month
- Unemployment rate4.6%3.6% to 18.3%
- Participation rate63.0%61.8% to 65.1%
- Employment-population ratio60.1%50.5% to 62.2%
Illinois, people, each month
- Labor force, thousands6,468.26,250.8 to 6,658.6
- Employed, thousands6,170.55,113.0 to 6,330.1
- Unemployed, thousands297.7236.1 to 1,144.1
Illinois, jobs and pay, each month
- Nonfarm payrolls, thousands6,164.55,322.3 to 6,180.0
- Average hourly earnings$36.83$26.41 to $36.96
- Average weekly hours33.432.7 to 35.2
Illinois, openings and turnover rates, each month
- Job openings rate3.3%2.8% to 7.4%
- Hires rate3.7%2.7% to 5.4%
- Quits rate2.1%1.4% to 3.2%
- Layoffs and discharges rate1.0%0.7% to 9.1%
- Total separations rate3.2%2.7% to 11.1%
Each row is one measure of Illinois over the last ten years, one month to a point, with its newest value and its range printed beside it and a dashed line at zero. A gap is a month with no value. Pointing at the chart shows the month and the value.
Observed .
Illinois, openings and turnover, each month
- Job openings, thousands211151 to 484
- Hires, thousands227164 to 294
- Quits, thousands12786 to 187
- Layoffs and discharges, thousands6144 to 551
- Total separations, thousands195166 to 673
Each row is one measure of Illinois over the last ten years, one month to a point, with its newest value and its range printed beside it and a dashed line at zero. A gap is a month with no value. Pointing at the chart shows the month and the value.
Observed .
Right now
The unemployment rate in Illinois was 4.6% in September 2026, ranking 11th highest of 51 among the states and the District of Columbia.
Over a year it is up 0.1 percentage points (ours). The rate for the United States was 4.2% in the same month. The source marks this value preliminary.
The unemployment rate in September 2026 was the lowest since September 2025.
Jobs and payOurs: change and rank
Nonfarm payroll employment was 6,164.5 thousand in September 2026, up 0.2% over a year (ours), 6th highest of 51.
Average hourly earnings of all employees on private payrolls was $36.83 in September 2026, up 4.1% over a year (ours), 17th highest of 51.
Job openings and turnoverOurs: change and rank
The job openings rate was 3.3% in December 2025, down 0.9 percentage points over a year (ours), 46th highest of 51.
The hires rate was 3.7% in December 2025, up 0.7 percentage points over a year (ours), 14th highest of 51.
The quits rate was 2.1% in December 2025, up 0.7 percentage points over a year (ours), 26th highest of 51.
Understanding the labor market of Illinois
Where it stands today
The unemployment rate in Illinois was 4.6% in September 2026.
What do the figures for Illinois measure?
This page gathers the labor market figures of Illinois that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes: how many people are in the labor force, at work and unemployed, how many payroll jobs there are and what they pay, and how many jobs are open and how many people were hired, quit or lost a job.
Read more
The unemployment figures come from Local Area Unemployment Statistics, a model that BLS runs for each state every month. The payroll jobs, hours and earnings come from a monthly survey of employers, and the job openings and labor turnover from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).
What 500metrics adds: each figure's rank among the fifty states and the District of Columbia, its change over a year, the last time it was higher and lower, the nation's figure beside a rate where BLS gives one, and the last ten years of every figure as small charts.
The numbers behind the chart
What are the latest figures for Illinois?19 measures, each in its own newest month
| Measure | Section | Month | Value | Change over a year | Rank | United States | Last higher | Last lower |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | Unemployment | 4.6% | +0.1 pts | 11 of 51 | 4.2% | |||
| Participation rate | Unemployment | 63.0% | −0.9 pts | 19 of 51 | 61.8% | |||
| Employment-population ratio | Unemployment | 60.1% | −0.9 pts | 22 of 51 | 59.2% | |||
| Labor force | People | 6,468.2 thousand | −1.3% | 6 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Employed | People | 6,170.5 thousand | −1.5% | 6 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Unemployed | People | 297.7 thousand | +1.8% | 5 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Nonfarm payrolls | Jobs and pay | 6,164.5 thousand | +0.2% | 6 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Average hourly earnings | Jobs and pay | $36.83 | +4.1% | 17 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Average weekly hours | Jobs and pay | 33.4 hours | 0.0% | 34 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Job openings rate | Openings and turnover rates | 3.3% | −0.9 pts | 46 of 51 | 4.0% | |||
| Hires rate | Openings and turnover rates | 3.7% | +0.7 pts | 14 of 51 | 3.3% | |||
| Quits rate | Openings and turnover rates | 2.1% | +0.7 pts | 26 of 51 | 2.0% | |||
| Layoffs and discharges rate | Openings and turnover rates | 1.0% | −0.2 pts | 19 of 51 | 1.1% | |||
| Total separations rate | Openings and turnover rates | 3.2% | +0.5 pts | 29 of 51 | 3.3% | |||
| Job openings | Openings and turnover | 211 thousand | −21.3% | 11 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Hires | Openings and turnover | 227 thousand | +23.4% | 5 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Quits | Openings and turnover | 127 thousand | +47.7% | 6 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Layoffs and discharges | Openings and turnover | 61 thousand | −17.6% | 6 of 51 | n/a | |||
| Total separations | Openings and turnover | 195 thousand | +17.5% | 6 of 51 | n/a |
The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.
What is the unemployment rate in each county of Illinois?102 counties, September 2026, by name
| County | Rate | A year before | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 2.9% | 3.5% | −0.6 pts |
| Alexander County | 5.5% | 6.6% | −1.1 pts |
| Bond County | 3.8% | 4.3% | −0.5 pts |
| Boone County | 4.0% | 4.8% | −0.8 pts |
| Brown County | 2.7% | 3.4% | −0.7 pts |
| Bureau County | 4.0% | 4.8% | −0.8 pts |
| Calhoun County | 3.7% | 5.2% | −1.5 pts |
| Carroll County | 3.4% | 4.4% | −1.0 pts |
| Cass County | 3.5% | 4.5% | −1.0 pts |
| Champaign County | 3.6% | 4.2% | −0.6 pts |
| Christian County | 3.5% | 4.4% | −0.9 pts |
| Clark County | 3.9% | 4.9% | −1.0 pts |
| Clay County | 3.6% | 4.7% | −1.1 pts |
| Clinton County | 2.7% | 3.3% | −0.6 pts |
| Coles County | 3.0% | 3.8% | −0.8 pts |
| Cook County | 4.7% | 4.3% | +0.4 pts |
| Crawford County | 3.4% | 4.0% | −0.6 pts |
| Cumberland County | 2.6% | 3.4% | −0.8 pts |
| De Witt County | 3.1% | 3.7% | −0.6 pts |
| DeKalb County | 3.6% | 4.4% | −0.8 pts |
| Douglas County | 3.0% | 3.8% | −0.8 pts |
| DuPage County | 3.8% | 3.5% | +0.3 pts |
| Edgar County | 3.7% | 4.5% | −0.8 pts |
| Edwards County | 6.3% | 4.4% | +1.9 pts |
| Effingham County | 2.9% | 3.6% | −0.7 pts |
Show 77 more rows
| County | Rate | A year before | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County | 3.9% | 4.7% | −0.8 pts |
| Ford County | 3.3% | 4.1% | −0.8 pts |
| Franklin County | 4.5% | 5.0% | −0.5 pts |
| Fulton County | 3.7% | 4.3% | −0.6 pts |
| Gallatin County | 4.0% | 5.3% | −1.3 pts |
| Greene County | 3.2% | 3.8% | −0.6 pts |
| Grundy County | 3.9% | 3.7% | +0.2 pts |
| Hamilton County | 3.9% | 4.6% | −0.7 pts |
| Hancock County | 3.0% | 3.7% | −0.7 pts |
| Hardin County | 4.0% | 5.2% | −1.2 pts |
| Henderson County | 3.2% | 3.7% | −0.5 pts |
| Henry County | 4.1% | 5.0% | −0.9 pts |
| Iroquois County | 3.9% | 4.7% | −0.8 pts |
| Jackson County | 4.2% | 4.7% | −0.5 pts |
| Jasper County | 2.6% | 3.6% | −1.0 pts |
| Jefferson County | 4.4% | 4.9% | −0.5 pts |
| Jersey County | 3.1% | 3.8% | −0.7 pts |
| Jo Daviess County | 2.9% | 3.4% | −0.5 pts |
| Johnson County | 4.3% | 4.7% | −0.4 pts |
| Kane County | 3.6% | 4.4% | −0.8 pts |
| Kankakee County | 4.2% | 5.4% | −1.2 pts |
| Kendall County | 3.6% | 4.2% | −0.6 pts |
| Knox County | 4.3% | 5.3% | −1.0 pts |
| LaSalle County | 4.2% | 5.2% | −1.0 pts |
| Lake County | 3.6% | 4.4% | −0.8 pts |
| Lawrence County | 3.9% | 4.7% | −0.8 pts |
| Lee County | 3.7% | 4.4% | −0.7 pts |
| Livingston County | 3.2% | 4.0% | −0.8 pts |
| Logan County | 3.8% | 4.8% | −1.0 pts |
| Macon County | 5.0% | 5.8% | −0.8 pts |
| Macoupin County | 3.6% | 4.6% | −1.0 pts |
| Madison County | 3.4% | 4.1% | −0.7 pts |
| Marion County | 4.2% | 5.0% | −0.8 pts |
| Marshall County | 3.9% | 4.6% | −0.7 pts |
| Mason County | 3.6% | 4.5% | −0.9 pts |
| Massac County | 3.6% | 4.2% | −0.6 pts |
| McDonough County | 3.6% | 4.2% | −0.6 pts |
| McHenry County | 3.8% | 3.4% | +0.4 pts |
| McLean County | 3.3% | 3.9% | −0.6 pts |
| Menard County | 3.4% | 4.1% | −0.7 pts |
| Mercer County | 3.9% | 5.0% | −1.1 pts |
| Monroe County | 2.6% | 3.2% | −0.6 pts |
| Montgomery County | 3.7% | 4.5% | −0.8 pts |
| Morgan County | 3.6% | 3.9% | −0.3 pts |
| Moultrie County | 3.0% | 4.0% | −1.0 pts |
| Ogle County | 3.5% | 4.4% | −0.9 pts |
| Peoria County | 4.2% | 5.2% | −1.0 pts |
| Perry County | 4.2% | 4.9% | −0.7 pts |
| Piatt County | 2.8% | 3.6% | −0.8 pts |
| Pike County | 3.5% | 4.7% | −1.2 pts |
| Pope County | 5.3% | 5.5% | −0.2 pts |
| Pulaski County | 5.2% | 6.1% | −0.9 pts |
| Putnam County | 3.6% | 4.9% | −1.3 pts |
| Randolph County | 3.1% | 3.9% | −0.8 pts |
| Richland County | 3.3% | 3.9% | −0.6 pts |
| Rock Island County | 5.4% | 5.5% | −0.1 pts |
| Saline County | 3.7% | 4.7% | −1.0 pts |
| Sangamon County | 3.6% | 4.5% | −0.9 pts |
| Schuyler County | 3.7% | 4.4% | −0.7 pts |
| Scott County | 3.1% | 4.2% | −1.1 pts |
| Shelby County | 3.3% | 3.9% | −0.6 pts |
| St. Clair County | 3.8% | 4.6% | −0.8 pts |
| Stark County | 3.8% | 4.7% | −0.9 pts |
| Stephenson County | 3.8% | 4.4% | −0.6 pts |
| Tazewell County | 3.6% | 4.4% | −0.8 pts |
| Union County | 3.7% | 4.2% | −0.5 pts |
| Vermilion County | 4.5% | 5.5% | −1.0 pts |
| Wabash County | 3.9% | 4.1% | −0.2 pts |
| Warren County | 3.6% | 4.4% | −0.8 pts |
| Washington County | 2.9% | 3.2% | −0.3 pts |
| Wayne County | 4.0% | 4.5% | −0.5 pts |
| White County | 3.8% | 4.7% | −0.9 pts |
| Whiteside County | 3.8% | 4.6% | −0.8 pts |
| Will County | 4.2% | 3.9% | +0.3 pts |
| Williamson County | 3.6% | 4.3% | −0.7 pts |
| Winnebago County | 4.5% | 5.4% | −0.9 pts |
| Woodford County | 2.9% | 3.7% | −0.8 pts |
What do these figures leave out, and how are they cited?Limits, dates and how to cite
What this number cannot tell you
- The unemployment figures of a state are estimates from a model, not a count. BLS revises the latest months as more data arrive and revises the past years every March.
- The payroll figures are estimates from a survey of employers. BLS revises them twice after the first release and once a year, when it benchmarks them to the count of jobs covered by unemployment insurance. Average hourly earnings and average weekly hours are for all employees on private payrolls and are not seasonally adjusted.
- The state figures of job openings and labor turnover come from a survey whose estimates for a single state have a larger sampling error than the nation's. Each figure shows its own newest month, which can be older than the month of the unemployment rate.
- A rank is among the fifty states and the District of Columbia in the same month, highest value first, and a large state ranks high on a count of people or jobs. The changes, the ranks and the months a figure was last higher and lower are ours, worked out from the values BLS publishes.
- The county rates are not seasonally adjusted, so each county's rate is set beside its own rate a year before.
Observed . Checked .
How to cite this
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Current Population Survey; State and Area Employment, Hours, and Earnings; Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey), labor market of Illinois, through September 2026. Compiled by 500metrics, "How is the job market in Illinois?", https://500metrics.com/states/illinois.
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