Bloomington is the only metro area to recover jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic and statewide mandated shutdowns. Illinois is still missing 200,100 jobs as of January 2020.

Illinois’ employment recovery continued in January, but the state remains far from a full recovery and still lags the nation.

Employment in nearly all of Illinois’ major industries are still lagging other states two years after the initial COVID-19 shutdowns rocked the economy.

Revisions show Illinois added 17,400 more jobs in 2021 than previously thought, but the state’s recovery still significantly lags the U.S. recovery rate.

Illinois reported the largest outmigration of residents of any state during 2021, marking the 8th consecutive year of population decline in Illinois. Chicago similarly saw more residents move away than any metropolitan area in the nation.