Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Chicago rose 0.1 percentage points in August 2018 to 3.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the Illinois rate. The unemployment rate in Chicago peaked in January 2010 at 11.4% and is now 7.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.6% in May 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Chicago unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	August 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.9%	0.0	-0.5
Illinois	4.1%	-0.1	-0.9
Chicago	3.9%	+0.1	-1.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with August 2018 data as September metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Chicago, Illinois, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Chicago, Illinois Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Chicago peaked in February 2010 at 558,996. There are now 371,124 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 176,592 in May 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 11,280. Chicago employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Chicago, Illinois) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	August 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Chicago	187,872	+2,114	-61,325

Number of Unemployed Persons

Chicago, Illinois Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Illinois Unemployment Rate	Chicago Unemployment Rate	Chicago Unemployed
September 2018	3.7%	—	—	—
August 2018	3.9%	4.1%	3.9%	187,872
July 2018	3.9%	4.2%	3.8%	185,758
June 2018	4.0%	4.3%	3.8%	186,364
May 2018	3.8%	4.3%	3.6%	176,592
April 2018	3.9%	4.4%	3.8%	187,360
March 2018	4.1%	4.6%	4.3%	209,478
February 2018	4.1%	4.7%	4.7%	232,686
January 2018	4.1%	4.8%	4.9%	238,520
December 2017	4.1%	4.9%	5.0%	244,526
November 2017	4.1%	4.9%	5.0%	245,021
October 2017	4.1%	4.9%	5.0%	244,877