News Item

12.30.2014

Chicago Unemployment Rate Falls to 6.8%

Last week, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) released preliminary November 2014 unemployment rates for municipalities across the state.

  • The city of Chicago posted a preliminary rate of 6.8%, before seasonal adjustment – this is down from the November 2013 rate of 9.8% and marks the city’s lowest unemployment rate since May 2008.
  • The number of Chicago residents employed in November 2014 increased by 32,326 compared to the year prior (from 1,150,736 in November 2013 to an estimated 1,183,062) – this marks the thirteenth consecutive month of over-the-year increases in employed residents.
  • Unemployed Chicago residents in November 2014 dropped by 36,599 compared to the year prior (from 122,421 in November 2013 to an estimated 85,822).

The first chart below summarizes the trends in non-seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rates for Chicago and three comparison cities. The second chart illustrates the number of employed Chicago residents by month.

CityUnemployment1

Note: Rates are not adjusted for seasonality, and should be compared year-over-year. City selection based on size and availability of data.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), IDES, California Employment Development Department, Texas Workforce Commission.

CityUnemployment2

Note: Totals are not adjusted for seasonality, and should be compared year-over-year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), IDES

For more information on the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, please visit the BLS or IDES websites.

Related News

Blog

NEWS

News Item

03.20.2023

Getting to Know DCASE Commissioner Erin Harkey

Tell us about where you grew up and tell a special high school memory/story. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and went to Santa Monica High School; high…

View article

Blog

NEWS

News Item

02.28.2023

Black History Spotlight - Blake Anthony-Johnson

A Conversation with Blake-Anthony Johnson, CEO and President of Chicago Sinfonietta Blake-Anthony Johnson’s multifaceted career has included work as a performer, collaborator, recording artist, and

View article

Blog

NEWS

News Item

02.28.2023

Black History Spotlight - Leon Walker

Meet Leon Walker Over the past 20 years, Leon I. Walker, Esq., has spearheaded cutting-edge community development projects that have generated thousands of new jobs and brought grocery stores and&hell

View article

Blog

NEWS

News Item

02.06.2023

INVEST South/West breaks ground on its first project of the year in South Shore and brings a $100 million media campus to the area 

By: Markayle Tolliver  South Shore, Chicago, IL | This afternoon, Regal Mile Studios along with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Alderwoman Michelle Harris (8th ward), Jim Reynolds, LOOP Capital CEO, and the&he

View article
Translate »