Department of Numbers

Rockford, Illinois Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rockford fell 0.5 percentage points in July 2021 to 9.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 2.3 percentage points higher than the Illinois rate. The unemployment rate in Rockford peaked in April 2020 at 22.8% and is now 13.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.8% in December 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 1.6 percentage points. You can also compare Rockford unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate July 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 5.4% -0.5 -4.8
Illinois 7.1% -0.1 -4.9
Rockford 9.4% -0.5 -6.6
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with July 2021 data as August metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Rockford, Illinois, National

Rockford, Illinois monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Rockford, Illinois Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Rockford peaked in April 2020 at 36,405. There are now 21,758 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 12,220 in December 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 2,427. Rockford employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Rockford, Illinois) is also available.

Unemployed Persons July 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Rockford 14,647 -607 -11,237

Number of Unemployed Persons

Rockford, Illinois Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Illinois
Unemployment Rate		 Rockford
Unemployment Rate		 Rockford
Unemployed
August
2021		 5.2% — — —
July
2021		 5.4% 7.1% 9.4% 14,647
June
2021		 5.9% 7.2% 9.9% 15,254
May
2021		 5.8% 7.1% 10.2% 15,698
April
2021		 6.1% 7.1% 10.6% 16,431
March
2021		 6.0% 7.1% 7.9% 12,281
February
2021		 6.2% 7.4% 9.5% 15,028
January
2021		 6.3% 7.7% 9.9% 15,682
December
2020		 6.7% 8.0% 7.8% 12,220
November
2020		 6.7% 8.1% 8.2% 12,829
October
2020		 6.9% 8.1% 8.3% 13,797
September
2020		 7.8% 10.4% 9.6% 15,579

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. ↩

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