Illinois is steadily adding jobs lost during the COVID-19 economic downturn, but despite 10 months of gains the state recovery lags the nation. Some metropolitan areas are far behind where they were.

Illinois posted job growth of 19,600 in February, with bigger payrolls in 10 of 14 Illinois-based metropolitan areas.

Illinois’ record population decline affected virtually all of the state’s largest cities.

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 shed 7,900 jobs in May but most of those losses were outside of urban areas.

Eight of 13 Illinois-based metro areas lost jobs in April.