Illinois still has 144,000 fewer people working compared with the state’s pre-recession employment level, while surrounding states have all experienced employment growth.

Illinois lost jobs across several industries including construction, manufacturing, and professional and business services. The only employment category to see significant growth was leisure and hospitality.

Macon County is one of the 89 counties out of Illinois’ 102 that are losing residents.

There are 170,000 fewer people working in Illinois since before the Great Recession.

Workers’ compensation is a significant cost to Illinois taxpayers and drains scarce tax dollars from government coffers. A previous report in this series estimated the direct cost of workers’ compensation to state, county and municipal governments is $402 million in worker payouts per year.1 Building upon those findings, this report estimates that the total cost of workers’ compensation to...

In February 2017 Illinois surpassed its previous jobs peak from September 2000. However, long-term problems could potentially hamstring further jobs growth if left unaddressed.

Newly released census data show 89 of Illinois’ 102 counties, and most of the state’s metro areas, have shrinking populations due to out-migration.

Illinois used to gain net population from Michigan, but data for recent years indicate that Michigan now gains more residents on net from Illinois.