Rockford, Illinois Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rockford rose 0.2 percentage points in May 2023 to 5.8%. 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 April 2020 at 22.4% and is now 16.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.1% in January 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.7 percentage points. You can also compare Rockford 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 |
| Rockford | 5.8% | +0.2 | -0.3 |
Unemployment Rate: Rockford, Illinois, National
Note: Recessions shown in gray.
Rockford, Illinois Unemployed
The number of people unemployed in Rockford peaked in April 2020 at 35,341. There are now 26,256 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 8,019 in January 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,066. Rockford employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Rockford, Illinois) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | May 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford | 9,085 | +333 | -584 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Rockford, Illinois Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
Illinois Unemployment Rate |
Rockford Unemployment Rate |
Rockford Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 |
3.6% | — | — | — |
| May 2023 |
3.7% | 4.1% | 5.8% | 9,085 |
| April 2023 |
3.4% | 4.2% | 5.6% | 8,752 |
| March 2023 |
3.5% | 4.4% | 5.3% | 8,317 |
| February 2023 |
3.6% | 4.5% | 5.2% | 8,131 |
| January 2023 |
3.4% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 8,019 |
| December 2022 |
3.5% | 4.6% | 5.2% | 8,276 |
| November 2022 |
3.6% | 4.6% | 5.2% | 8,253 |
| October 2022 |
3.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% | 8,265 |
| September 2022 |
3.5% | 4.6% | 5.3% | 8,355 |
| August 2022 |
3.7% | 4.5% | 5.4% | 8,519 |
| July 2022 |
3.5% | 4.4% | 5.6% | 8,806 |
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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