Unemployment Rate Up in Western Suburbs, but U.S. Level Drops

Unemployment rates in Illinois increased slightly from January 2013 to February while the national rate dropped slightly, according to new figures released last week.

However, job growth increased in the Chicago metro area during February, compared to the same time last year, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

IDES generally reports unemployment figures for municipalities with populations of 25,000 or more people. The numbers measure unemployment for residents who live in a certain town, not those who work in the town.

Towns like Forest Park don't have population numbers high enough for their own numbers, but Oak Park and nearby Berwyn and Cicero are listed. The latter two have some of the highest unemployment rates in the western suburbs, while Oak Park's is lower, at 7.2 percent. That's still a 1.2 percent increased compared to February 2012. 

Statewide the unemployment rate increased from 10.1 percent in January to 10.5 percent in February. Compared to February 2012, unemployment in Illinois has increased 1 percent. 

The U.S. average unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in February 2013, down from the rate in January 2013 and February 2012. See below for local unemployment rates near you, or go to the IDES website for a full list of municipalities. 

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