United States Employment Snapshot
In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 21.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Minnesota.
Illinois Employment Snapshot
In May, Illinois added 12,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.9 percent. In the prior month, Illinois added 1,900 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Illinois added 43,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points from 4.2 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Illinois ranks 45th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, Illinois’s private sector added 9,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 15,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Illinois added 3,200 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in Illinois rose by 9,903, and over the past 12 months it rose by 41,716.
Illinois’s labor force participation rate rose to 64.9 percent in May from 64.7 percent and is tied for 16th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.8 percentage points.
Illinois Payroll Employment
Illinois added 12,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Illinois added 1,900 jobs. Illinois nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Illinois ranks 45th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Illinois added 9,400 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Illinois added 3,200 jobs. Illinois private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 229,000 jobs in May, or 0.2 percent. Illinois ranks 47th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during May were Professional and Business Services (7,100) and Government (3,300).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Leisure and Hospitality (-1,200) and Manufacturing (-2,300).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (29,200) and Government (28,600).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,600) and Professional and Business Services (-24,800).
Illinois Labor Force
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.
The labor force participation rate in Illinois rose to 64.9 percent in May from 64.7 percent in the prior month.
Illinois is tied for 16th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Illinois was 65.6 percent occurring in April 2016, and the 10-year low was 61.8 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.5 percent in May.