Illinois’ unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.8% in March, while the revised unemployment rate was 4.8%, unchanged from the preliminary February unemployment rate, according to data released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).
Illinois’ unemployment rate was 0.6% higher than the national 4.2% unemployment rate for March. As with recent previous months, the March 2025 estimates included substantial year-over-year Illinois job losses in manufacturing (down 5.500 jobs over the 12-month interval) and professional and business services (down 12,900 jobs during the same period). Were it not for the competing sectors of government and health care, Illinois would have lost jobs during the most recent 12-month period.
The number of unemployed workers was 321,500, up +0.1% from the prior month, and down -2.5 percent over the same month one year ago. The labor force was down -0.1% over-the-month and up +0.6 percent over-the-year.