The state also saw a drop in the unemployment rate over the month, fueled by employment gains and labor force decline.

The state also saw a drop in the unemployment rate, but it wasn’t because people found jobs.

Revisions from the Bureau of Labor Statistics flipped Decatur’s jobs growth from negative to positive over the year, though the growth was meager.

Illinois’ metro areas added 11,300 jobs in February, while only one metro area lost jobs over the month. Despite strong employment growth from metro areas in February, Illinois is still far behind U.S. growth over the last 12 months.

Combined jobs growth was slightly positive across Illinois’ metro areas in January. But only four metro areas have recovered the jobs they lost during the Great Recession.

Despite healthy jobs growth nationally, Illinoisans are desperate for work.

Illinoisans have become accustomed to a state economy that lags behind those with better business climates.

New state data shed a light on weak economic growth in metro areas across Illinois.

Decatur is the fastest-shrinking city in the state since 2010, and saw some of the heaviest jobs losses among metro areas in 2017.