FEBRUARY UNEMPLOYMENT

4/7/25

Unemployment rates in area counties were lower in February than one year earlier.

The Clay County unemployment rate for February was 5.1%, down from 5.9% in February 2024 and down from 6% in January.  The numbers translate into 5,304 employed and 284 unemployed.  The number of employed is down 40 from January and the number of unemployed is down 55.

Richland County had the lowest unemployment rate in the region for February at 3.5%.  The lowest in the state was in Brown County where the rate was at 2.7% unchanged from January.  The highest in the state is in Alexander County at 6.5%, down from 7.1% in January.

The state jobless rate was 5.1%, compared to 5.3% in February 2024 and 5% in January.  The Illinois unemployment rate is .6% higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.5%.