Rockford, Illinois Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rockford fell 0.0 percentage points in July 2019 to 5.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.7 percentage points higher than the Illinois rate. The unemployment rate in Rockford peaked in December 2009 at 16.0% and is now 10.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.0% in February 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.9 percentage points. You can also compare Rockford unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	July 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.7%	0.0	-0.2
Illinois	4.2%	-0.1	0.0
Rockford	5.9%	0.0	+0.5

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with July 2019 data as August metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Rockford, Illinois, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Rockford, Illinois Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Rockford peaked in January 2010 at 27,238. There are now 17,155 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 8,454 in January 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,629. Rockford employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Rockford, Illinois) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	July 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Rockford	10,083	+176	+1,079

Number of Unemployed Persons

Rockford, Illinois Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Illinois Unemployment Rate	Rockford Unemployment Rate	Rockford Unemployed
August 2019	3.7%	—	—	—
July 2019	3.7%	4.2%	5.9%	10,083
June 2019	3.7%	4.3%	5.9%	9,907
May 2019	3.6%	4.4%	6.1%	10,318
April 2019	3.6%	4.4%	6.3%	10,654
March 2019	3.8%	4.4%	6.5%	10,910
February 2019	3.8%	4.3%	6.6%	11,040
January 2019	4.0%	4.3%	6.6%	11,172
December 2018	3.9%	4.3%	5.8%	9,684
November 2018	3.7%	4.3%	5.8%	9,679
October 2018	3.8%	4.2%	5.7%	9,583
September 2018	3.7%	4.2%	5.6%	9,360