Unemployment rate falls in suburbs, highest in Rockford
The Illinois Department of Employment Security is reporting unemployment in all the state's metropolitan areas fell in October.
The agency reported Wednesday the metro area showing the largest decline in unemployment was Peoria, down 2.4 points to 9.3 percent,.
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville 1.5 points lower at 8.9 percent, and Rockford 1.4 points lower at 14.4 percent, and Decatur 1.4 points lower at 10.9 percent.
Illinois Department of Employment Security Director Maureen O'Donnell says the state has recorded two consecutive months of declining unemployment, a trend showing Illinois is on the right path to recovery.
With its 14.4 percent unemployment rate, the Rockford metro area continues to have the highest rate in the state, although it is down from 15.9 percent in October 2009.
Overall Illinois unemployment was 9.2 percent last month, compared to 9 percent nationally.
The Labor Department said Wednesday that weekly unemployment claims dropped by 34,000 to a seasonally adjusted 407,000 in the week ending Nov. 20. Wall Street analysts expected a much smaller drop.
Unemployment rates for Illinois' 12 metropolitan areas
Metro area Oct. 2010 Oct. 2009 Bloomington-Normal 7.3 percent 7.9 percent Champaign-Urbana 8.4 percent 8.9 percent Chicago-Joliet-Naperville 8.9 percent 10.4 percent Danville 10.9 percent 11.9 percent Davenport-Moline-Rock Island 8.2 percent 9.1 percent Decatur 10.9 percent 12.3 percent Kankakee-Bradley 12.0 percent 12.7 percent Lake-Kenosha, Ill.-Wis. 9.6 percent 10.3 percent Peoria 9.3 percent 11.7 percent Rockford 14.4 percent 15.9 percent Springfield 7.6 percent 8.1 percent St. Louis (Ill. section) 9.3 percent 10.3 percent