Department of Numbers

Bloomington, Illinois Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Bloomington rose 0.1 percentage points in May 2023 to 3.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points lower than the Illinois rate. The unemployment rate in Bloomington peaked in April 2020 at 13.3% and is now 9.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.3% in October 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Bloomington unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% +0.3 +0.1
Illinois 4.1% -0.1 -0.3
Bloomington 3.5% +0.1 -0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with May 2023 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Bloomington, Illinois, National

Bloomington, Illinois monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Bloomington, Illinois Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Bloomington peaked in April 2020 at 11,498. There are now 8,085 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 3,163 in January 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 250.

Unemployed Persons May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Bloomington 3,413 +104 -181

Number of Unemployed Persons

Bloomington, Illinois Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Illinois
Unemployment Rate
Bloomington
Unemployment Rate
Bloomington
Unemployed
June
2023
3.6%
May
2023
3.7% 4.1% 3.5% 3,413
April
2023
3.4% 4.2% 3.4% 3,309
March
2023
3.5% 4.4% 3.3% 3,202
February
2023
3.6% 4.5% 3.3% 3,225
January
2023
3.4% 4.5% 3.3% 3,163
December
2022
3.5% 4.6% 3.3% 3,222
November
2022
3.6% 4.6% 3.3% 3,217
October
2022
3.7% 4.6% 3.3% 3,221
September
2022
3.5% 4.6% 3.4% 3,262
August
2022
3.7% 4.5% 3.4% 3,329
July
2022
3.5% 4.4% 3.5% 3,421

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.