Illinois added 18,100 new jobs in June, the highest monthly increase since summer 2017, but the Prairie State still lags behind the rest of the nation for the post-recession period.

As national jobs growth kept up a steady clip, Illinois saw jobs growth dip after lawmakers passed a historic tax hike.

The city has seen a 45 percent increase in its minimum wage since 2015.

Illinois’ jobs situation improved in May, but the state needs long-term solutions such as a spending cap to get on a path to fiscal health and assure investors more tax hikes are not on the horizon.

As Illinois struggles to address its people problem, population loss has plagued communities across the Land of Lincoln. But the shrinkage in some areas has been more severe than others.

Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Co. plans to move its Rock Island facility to Walcott, Iowa, where the company is expected to receive substantial tax incentives.

New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show eight of Illinois’ 13 metro areas gained jobs over the month.

When people can’t find good job opportunities in Illinois, they are too often forced to leave. And to take their place, too few have enough confidence in the state to move in from elsewhere and build a future.

In a shrinking state, half of Illinois’ largest cities have shed population since 2010.