Politics & Government
West Suburban Unemployment Drops, but Still Up From 2012
Unemployment rates in Illinois dropped slightly from February to March, according to new figures released this week. That held true for several western suburbs, while the national rate was still down from 2012.
Unemployment rates in Illinois dropped from February 2013 to March, though they're still higher than this 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 La Grange, Western Springs, La Grange Park and most nearby towns don't have population numbers high enough for their own numbers.
Find out what's happening in Western Springsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"Illinois employers were expected to report fewer positions in March. Economic uncertainty nationally and abroad dampened our country's job growth. When that happens, Illinois' share tends to be a negative number," IDES Director Jay Rowell said in a news release.
Statewide the unemployment rate decreased 1 percent from February to March. Compared to March 2012, unemployment in Illinois has increased 0.3 percent.
Find out what's happening in Western Springsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The U.S. average unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in March 2013, down from the rate in February 2013 and March 2012. See below for local unemployment rates near you, or go to the IDES website for a full list of municipalities.
March2013 Feb. 2013
March 2012
% Change Over Month
% Change Over Year Berwyn 10.3 11.3 9.7 -1.0 0.6
Cicero 13.1 13.9 12.6 -0.8 0.5
Downers Grove 7.1 7.8 6.4 -0.7 0.7 Elmhurst 6.7 7.4 6.2 -0.6 0.5 Oak Park 6.6 7.2 6.0 -0.6 0.6
Chicago 10.4 11.3 9.9 -0.9 0.5
Cook County 9.7 10.5 9.2 -0.8 0.5
Illinois 9.4 10.4 9.1 -1.0 0.3
U.S. Average 7.6 8.1 8.4 -0.5 -0.8
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