Why Illinois' September Unemployment Rate Doesn't Tell the Whole Story

Earlier this month, it was announced that Illinois’ unemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage points to 6.6 percent in September.

There a couple reasons why this jobless report is significant: it’s the last one before the Nov. 4 election and it shows employers added the most jobs thus far in 2014. The report is also politically important as Gov. Pat Quinn continues to use these figures to sell his message that Illinois is making a “comeback.” Conversely, Republican Bruce Rauner has centered his campaign on jobs, claiming Quinn’s policies are to blame for the lackluster recovery.

But there’s more to the story than the monthly unemployment rate. Here are some informative charts and data regarding the state’s workforce. Decide for yourself if Illinois’ jobs situation is truly back on track.

And in case you missed it, here are the metro and local jobless numbers, including cities and counties with the highest and lowest unemployment rates.

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