Wrong-way Illinois: state unemployment jumps as national unemployment rate continues to fall

Another 35,000 added to unemployment in February

John Klingner
Public Policy Research Assistant

Another 35,000 added to unemployment in February

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the state unemployment numbers for February today.
Illinois? unemployment rate jumped to 9.5 percent, up from 9 percent just last month.

Meanwhile, the average unemployment rate for Illinois? neighbors remained at 7.3 percent in February ? the nation?s unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent, down from 7.9 percent in January.

At this same time last year, Illinois had an unemployment rate of 8.9 percent; the average unemployment rate of Illinois’ neighbors was 7.3 percent and the national rate was 8.3 percent.

Illinois? unemployment has gotten worse; the state is falling behind even as the nation continues its slow recovery. Nearly 630,000 Illinoisans are still unemployed because the state is unable to make measurable economic progress.