The jobs are there. The people to fill them are there. The only thing standing in the way is Illinois’ overreaching state regulations and job licensing.
Black workers in Illinois face a tougher job market compared to other big states. Illinois has the highest unemployment rate for Black workers among the 10 biggest states.
Illinois workers are at a disadvantage compared to people in other states with the same job. Illinois’ 4.8% unemployment rate is third-highest in the nation.
Illinois grew jobs in eight of its 13 metropolitan areas during April, but the Chicago area’s sluggish growth and a stubbornly high unemployment rate tempered any gains.
Black workers in Illinois face a tougher job market than peers nationally. Hispanic men, Asians face lower unemployment rates relative to peers in other states.
This episode of The Policy Shop is by Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research Illinois’ unemployment rate for Black workers last year was No. 2 in the U.S. Black Illinoisans faced average unemployment rates of 9.6% in 2023, compared to 5.5% for Black workers nationwide. That means Black Illinoisans were 75% more likely...
Illinois’ unemployment rate for April was near the highest in the U.S. Its recovery lags the nation by nearly a full percentage point.
The Illinois Senate approved legislation banning four food additives, sending it to the House. Manufacturers will need to sell an alternate recipe in Illinois if the bill becomes law.
Illinois continued to lose population last year, with people leaving 75% of the communities in the state. But what about your town? Did it lose or gain, and by how much?
Chicago lost the most, but communities across Illinois lost population in 2023. Three-fourths of the cities and towns lost people.
Chicago lost 8,208 residents in 2023, the third-largest decline of any city in the nation. At this rate, the Second City will drop from No. 3 to No. 4 by 2035
Jackie Jackson has repeatedly helped people understand what it means to be an entrepreneur in Chicago, from crime to the pandemic to taxes. But being able to create jobs keeps her going and is why she was named businessperson of the year.
Phoenix, Arizona, established a program to streamline building permits for certain projects. It has seen results. It could help Illinois’ drop in housing permits.
Job gains in Illinois’ metropolitan areas were off to a slow start in 2024. Six areas remain behind where they were before the pandemic.