November 2024 | Released December 19, 2024

Released January 08, 2025

Download the full PDF for Illinois

Download the summary PDF for Illinois

United States Employment Snapshot

• In November, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In November, payroll jobs rose in 39 states and fell in 12. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Washington. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Vermont.

Illinois Employment Snapshot

• In November, Illinois lost 3,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.3 percent. In the prior month, Illinois added 8,400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Illinois added 42,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 4.7 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 227,000 in November, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In November, Illinois’s private sector lost 4,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 15,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Illinois added 2,400 net private payroll jobs.

• In November, employment in Illinois rose by 9,133, and over the past 12 months it rose by 35,577.

• Illinois’s labor force participation rate rose to 65.2 percent in November from 65.1 percent and ranks 16th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.7 percentage points.

---

Illinois Payroll Employment

• Illinois lost 3,400 net payroll jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during November. In the prior month, Illinois added 8,400 jobs. Illinois nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 227,000 in November, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Illinois lost 4,100 private sector jobs, or -0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during November. In the prior month, Illinois added 2,400 jobs. Illinois private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 194,000 jobs in November, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 48th 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 November were Leisure and Hospitality (2,000) and Other Services (1,100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Professional and Business Services (-2,400) and Construction (-2,700).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Government (27,100) and Education and Health Services (25,100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Financial Activities (-7,400) and Professional and Business Services (-12,400).

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 65.2 percent in November from 65.1 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 62.5 percent in November.