Bloomington-Normal, Illinois Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Bloomington fell 0.2 percentage points in March 2012 to 7.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.8 percentage points lower than the Illinois rate. The unemployment rate in Bloomington peaked in December 2009 at 8.3% and is now 1.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.6% in May 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Bloomington unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	March 2012	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.2%	-0.1	-0.7
Illinois	8.8%	-0.3	-0.5
Bloomington	7.0%	-0.2	+0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with March 2012 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Bloomington, Illinois, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Bloomington, Illinois Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Bloomington peaked in January 2010 at 7,629. There are now 1,240 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 6,153 in May 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 236. Bloomington employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Bloomington, Illinois) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	March 2012	Month/Month	Year/Year
Bloomington	6,389	-227	+32

Number of Unemployed Persons

Bloomington, Illinois Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Illinois Unemployment Rate	Bloomington Unemployment Rate	Bloomington Unemployed
April 2012	8.1%	8.7%	—	—
March 2012	8.2%	8.8%	7.0%	6,389
February 2012	8.3%	9.1%	7.2%	6,616
January 2012	8.3%	9.4%	7.4%	6,763
December 2011	8.5%	9.7%	7.3%	6,760
November 2011	8.7%	9.8%	7.3%	6,768
October 2011	8.9%	10.0%	7.4%	6,781
September 2011	9.0%	10.1%	7.2%	6,582
August 2011	9.1%	10.2%	6.9%	6,348
July 2011	9.1%	10.1%	6.8%	6,273
June 2011	9.1%	9.9%	6.7%	6,169
May 2011	9.0%	9.7%	6.6%	6,153
April 2011	9.0%	9.5%	6.7%	6,237