Despite statewide job gains in June, eight of Illinois’ metro areas lost jobs for the month. Most areas still haven’t recovered to pre-pandemic job levels.

While most Illinois metropolitan areas saw job gains last month, unemployment rates remain higher than the U.S. rate in 11 of the state’s 13 metro areas.

More Illinoisans fled for other states from July 2021-July 2022 than during any other year in recorded history, driving the state’s record population decline.

New Census Bureau data shows people moving out of Illinois continues to drive the state’s population decline. So many moved away in the year before July 2022, it was almost like Rockford disappearing.

Illinois’ metro areas already face unemployment problems, with some of the nation’s worst rates. They could be hit harder by a recession than other places in the nation.