SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The number of jobs is up once again in the Peoria area. Also once again, so is the number of unemployed.
That’s according to federal figures disseminated by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
The figures indicate the Peoria-area unemployment rate is up to 5.4% in September, an increase of 1.6 percentage points from the same time last year.
1,400 non-farm payroll jobs were added in that year-over-year period, bringing the area’s total to 172,100 – not seasonally adjusted.
Statewide, the sectors that saw the most growth were Education and Health Services, Leisure and Hospitality, and Government. The statewide unemployment rate is now at 4.9%, an increase of seven tenths of a percentage point.
Peoria’s city unemployment is now at 6.5%, while Pekin’s is at an even 5%.
“The consistently expanding labor market and employment opportunities throughout the state continue to instill confidence and motivation into workers and jobseekers looking for their next employment opportunities,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar, in a news release. “IDES and its workforce partners continue to provide critical employment and reemployment services to match individuals with the right employers to take advantage of the expanding labor market.”
