Springfield, Illinois Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Springfield fell 0.1 percentage points in December 2011 to 7.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 2.0 percentage points lower than the Illinois rate. The unemployment rate in Springfield peaked in January 2010 at 8.7% and is now 0.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.0% in June 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.8 percentage points. You can also compare Springfield unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Illinois	9.8%	-0.2	+0.6
Springfield	7.8%	-0.1	+0.5

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Springfield, Illinois, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Springfield, Illinois Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Springfield peaked in February 2010 at 10,087. There are now 806 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 8,160 in June 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,121. Springfield employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Springfield, Illinois) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Springfield	9,281	-33	+451

Number of Unemployed Persons

Springfield, Illinois Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Illinois Unemployment Rate	Springfield Unemployment Rate	Springfield Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	9.8%	7.8%	9,281
November 2011	8.7%	10.0%	7.9%	9,314
October 2011	8.9%	10.1%	7.8%	9,216
September 2011	9.0%	10.0%	7.5%	8,818
August 2011	9.1%	9.9%	7.2%	8,453
July 2011	9.1%	9.5%	7.1%	8,295
June 2011	9.1%	9.1%	7.0%	8,160
May 2011	9.0%	8.9%	7.1%	8,277
April 2011	9.0%	8.7%	7.3%	8,512
March 2011	8.9%	8.8%	7.3%	8,595
February 2011	9.0%	8.9%	7.3%	8,615
January 2011	9.1%	9.0%	7.3%	8,697