June 25--Unemployment rates fell in every metropolitan area in Illinois from their year-ago levels in May, the 15th consecutive month of improvement, state officials said Thursday.
In the Chicago area, the jobless rate last month dropped to 6 percent, from 7 percent a year ago, according to preliminary data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Chicago area recorded 3.63 million non-farm jobs, compared with 3.59 million in May 2014.
Turning in the lowest unemployment rate in May was the Bloomington area, which recorded 4.2 percent unemployment.
The sharpest decline in unemployment on a percentage basis was in Danville, where it dropped more than two percentage points to 6.1 percent in May.
Illinois businesses added jobs in seven metro areas. The largest job increases were seen in Kankakee, up 2.5 percent; and the Elgin area, up 2.3 percent. Danville also did well, with a 2 percent jobs gain. The Chicago area, however, did not fare as well, with only a 1.2 percent increase in jobs from May 2014.
Job growth in Illinois was registered primarily in transportation, warehousing and public utilities, retail trade and the educational and health services sectors.
In May, Illinois' unemployment rate was 5.6 percent, compared with 6.9 percent a year ago.
crshropshire@tribpub.com
