Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Chicago fell 0.0 percentage points in January 2019 to 4.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points lower than the Illinois rate. The unemployment rate in Chicago peaked in January 2010 at 11.4% and is now 7.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.6% in May 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare Chicago unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	January 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	4.0%	+0.1	-0.1
Illinois	4.3%	0.0	-0.1
Chicago	4.2%	0.0	-0.7

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with January 2019 data as February 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 351,783 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 30,621. Chicago employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Chicago, Illinois) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	January 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Chicago	207,213	+226	-31,307

Number of Unemployed Persons

Chicago, Illinois Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Illinois Unemployment Rate	Chicago Unemployment Rate	Chicago Unemployed
February 2019	3.8%	—	—	—
January 2019	4.0%	4.3%	4.2%	207,213
December 2018	3.9%	4.3%	4.2%	206,987
November 2018	3.7%	4.3%	4.3%	211,075
October 2018	3.8%	4.2%	4.4%	214,033
September 2018	3.7%	4.2%	4.0%	195,583
August 2018	3.8%	4.2%	3.9%	187,782
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%	4.3%	3.8%	187,360
March 2018	4.0%	4.3%	4.3%	209,478