Department of Numbers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Chicago fell 0.2 percentage points in May 2023 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 April 2020 at 18.7% and is now 14.8 percentage points lower. You can also compare Chicago 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
Chicago 3.9% -0.2 -0.7
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: 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 901,755. There are now 706,588 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Chicago employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Chicago, Illinois) is also available.

Unemployed Persons May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Chicago 195,167 -6,962 -33,306

Number of Unemployed Persons

Chicago, Illinois Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Illinois
Unemployment Rate
Chicago
Unemployment Rate
Chicago
Unemployed
June
2023
3.6%
May
2023
3.7% 4.1% 3.9% 195,167
April
2023
3.4% 4.2% 4.1% 202,129
March
2023
3.5% 4.4% 4.3% 211,315
February
2023
3.6% 4.5% 4.4% 216,025
January
2023
3.4% 4.5% 4.5% 223,947
December
2022
3.5% 4.6% 4.6% 229,205
November
2022
3.6% 4.6% 4.6% 229,478
October
2022
3.7% 4.6% 4.6% 230,464
September
2022
3.5% 4.6% 4.7% 231,534
August
2022
3.7% 4.5% 4.7% 231,833
July
2022
3.5% 4.4% 4.7% 231,028

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.