March 2025
Released April 18, 2025
Download the full PDF for Illinois
Download the summary PDF for Illinois
United States Employment Snapshot
In March, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 19.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.
In March, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 12. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Connecticut.
Illinois Employment Snapshot
In March, Illinois added 14,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.8 percent. In the prior month, Illinois added 900 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Illinois added 34,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points from 5 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 32nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In March, Illinois’s private sector added 10,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 13,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Illinois added 1,000 net private payroll jobs.
In March, employment in Illinois fell by 6,584, and over the past 12 months it rose by 48,966.
Illinois’s labor force participation rate fell to 64.9 percent in March from 65 percent and is tied for 16th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.
Illinois Payroll Employment
Illinois added 14,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Illinois added 900 jobs. Illinois nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 32nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Illinois added 10,300 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Illinois added 1,000 jobs. Illinois private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 209,000 jobs in March, or 0.2 percent. Illinois is tied for 38th 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 March were Government (4,500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (2,600).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Financial Activities (-300) and Information (-400).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Government (20,900) and Education and Health Services (19,800).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Manufacturing (-5,500) and Professional and Business Services (-12,900).
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 fell to 64.9 percent in March from 65 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 June 2020.
The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.5 percent in March.