Morgan County’s unemployment rate spiked up a percentage point over the holidays. IDES released countywide numbers yesterday, with most areas of the state sitting at or slightly above pre-pandemic levels.
For the month of December, Morgan, Scott, Greene, and Cass counties were all between 4.9-5.3% unemployment. Pike and Brown counties have the lowest rates in West Central Illinois at 4.3 and 2.6 percent respectively. Despite the about average numbers, unemployment was up year over year all across the state. The number of nonfarm jobs decreased over-the-year in all fourteen Illinois metropolitan areas in December, according to preliminary data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
The Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area had the 3rd highest unemployment rate increase over-the-year for all of Illinois’ 14 metropolitan statistical areas with an increase of 2.5 points up to 6.3%. Nationally, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.5% in December. The Illinois unemployment rate was a full point higher at 7.5% last month.