Drop in construction jobs fuels rising jobless rate in Bloomington-Normal

The Bloomington-Normal job market lost 900 jobs over the last year.

According to data provided by the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Mining-Construction (-500), Manufacturing (-300), Financial Activities (-300) and Professional-Business Services (-200) saw the most job losses since September 2023.

Leisure-Hospitality (+200) added jobs, along with Private Education-Health Services (+100), for the labor market that includes McLean and DeWitt counties.

The Twin City jobless rate for September was 4.3%, up from 4% since September 2023. A majority of Illinois’ 15 metro areas saw a drop in the unemployment rate over the last year.

Nonfarm payrolls for the Bloomington-Normal market dipped to 99,900.

Champaign-Urbana has the lowest unemployment in Illinois at 4.1%. Danville has the highest at 6.3%.

Unemployment statewide was 5% in September.