Unemployment up in most Illinois metro areas
Jobless rate spikes in most Illinois metro areas; Decatur hit hard
CHICAGO (AP) -- The state Department of Employment Security says unemployment increased in January in seven of Illinois' 12 metro areas.
That mirrored an increase in the statewide unemployment rate to 9 percent. The department released that figure a week ago.
In its Thursday metro jobs report the department said the biggest increase was in Decatur. Unemployment jumped to 14 percent from 11.1 percent a year earlier. Archer Daniels Midland and Caterpillar are two of Decatur's employers and both cut either jobs or production in the past year.
Unemployment in the Chicago area increased from 9.5 to 9.9 percent.
The jobless rate dropped or was flat in five areas. They include Bloomington-Normal, the Davenport-Rock Island-Moline area, Kankakee-Bradley, Rockford and Illinois' St. Louis suburbs.