Department of Numbers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Chicago fell 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 4.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points higher than the Illinois rate. The unemployment rate in Chicago peaked in April 2020 at 18.2% and is now 13.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.4% in April 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Chicago unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Illinois 4.5% -0.1 -0.3
Chicago 4.6% -0.1 -0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Chicago, Illinois, National

Chicago, Illinois monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Chicago, Illinois Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Chicago peaked in April 2020 at 892,043. There are now 665,921 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 214,728 in June 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 11,394. Chicago employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Chicago, Illinois) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Chicago 226,122 -4,936 -7,301

Number of Unemployed Persons

Chicago, Illinois Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Illinois
Unemployment Rate
Chicago
Unemployment Rate
Chicago
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 4.5% 4.6% 226,122
December
2022
3.5% 4.6% 4.7% 231,058
November
2022
3.6% 4.6% 4.7% 231,616
October
2022
3.7% 4.6% 4.6% 227,787
September
2022
3.5% 4.6% 4.6% 225,241
August
2022
3.7% 4.5% 4.5% 220,854
July
2022
3.5% 4.4% 4.4% 215,832
June
2022
3.6% 4.4% 4.4% 214,728
May
2022
3.6% 4.4% 4.4% 215,849
April
2022
3.6% 4.5% 4.4% 216,183
March
2022
3.6% 4.5% 4.5% 220,374

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.