October 2024

Released November 19, 2024

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In October, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 22, and remained unchanged in 21.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in District of Columbia and Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in October.

• In October, payroll jobs rose in 21 states and fell in 30. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 1 percent in Washington.

Illinois Employment Snapshot

• In October, Illinois lost 2,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.3 percent. In the prior month, Illinois lost 15,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Illinois added 40,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 4.8 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 12,000 in October, or 0 percent. Illinois is tied for 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In October, Illinois’s private sector lost 2,200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 18,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Illinois lost 1,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In October, employment in Illinois rose by 5,549, and over the past 12 months it rose by 29,559.

• Illinois’s labor force participation rate rose to 65.1 percent in October from 65 percent and ranks 16th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.6 percentage points.

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Illinois Payroll Employment

• Illinois lost 2,400 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during October. In the prior month, Illinois lost 15,800 jobs. Illinois nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 12,000 in October, or 0 percent. Illinois is tied for 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Illinois lost 2,200 private sector jobs, or 0 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during October. In the prior month, Illinois lost 1,300 jobs. Illinois private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs fell by 28,000 jobs in October, or 0 percent. Illinois is tied for 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 October were Leisure and Hospitality (1,400) and Manufacturing tied with Education and Health Services (100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Other Services (-1,000) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,900).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (30,400) and Government (22,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Financial Activities (-8,000) and Professional and Business Services (-18,400).

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 65.1 percent in October from 65 percent in the prior month.

• Illinois ranks 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 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in October.