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Economy & jobs Statistics · City

Labour force in Chicago

1990 – 2025 · 36 data points 1 of 101 · Towns of Illinois Updated Oct 22, 2026
Economy & jobs · Chicago Cook County Illinois

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025

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Overview 8 figures People 21 figures Economy 20 figures Housing 8 figures Education 10 figures Tourism 3 figures Climate 8 figures
Latest value · 2025 1,496,072 −0.0% since 2024
Towns of Illinois · 2025 1 of 101 Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2015 +8.5% +0.4% a year on average
share of Cook County 53.7% Cook County: 2,784,839 · 2025
Labour force, 1990 – 2025 people
+8.5% since 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025

Compared with Labour force · people
Chicago 1.5M
Cook County 2.8M
Illinois 6.6M

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics

The series at a glance Chicago · 1990 – 2025
Latest value 1,496,072 · 2025
First value 1,323,477 · 1990
Highest 1,496,105 · 2024
Lowest 1,278,280 · 2005
Average change +0.4% a year on average
Data points 36

By year

All years · 1990 – 2025

YearChicagoChange Cook CountyIllinois
2025 1,496,072 −0.0% 2.8M 6.6M
2024 1,496,105 +2.7% 2.8M 6.6M
2023 1,456,449 +0.7% 2.7M 6.5M
2022 1,446,158 +2.2% 2.7M 6.5M
2021 1,414,888 +0.6% 2.6M 6.4M
2020 1,406,954 −1.7% 2.6M 6.3M
2019 1,431,355 +0.3% 2.7M 6.5M
2018 1,427,603 −0.5% 2.7M 6.6M
2017 1,435,299 −0.8% 2.7M 6.6M
2016 1,446,276 +4.9% 2.7M 6.6M
2015 1,378,433 +0.0% 2.7M 6.6M
2014 1,378,290 −0.6% 2.7M 6.6M
2013 1,387,206 +0.9% 2.7M 6.6M
2012 1,374,701 +1.7% 2.7M 6.6M
2011 1,351,368 +0.0% 2.6M 6.6M
2010 1,350,990 +3.4% 2.6M 6.6M
2009 1,306,264 −0.5% 2.6M 6.6M
2008 1,312,259 +0.6% 2.6M 6.6M
2007 1,304,775 +1.9% 2.6M 6.6M
2006 1,280,941 +0.2% 2.5M 6.5M
2005 1,278,280 −1.3% 2.5M 6.4M
2004 1,294,577 −0.9% 2.6M 6.3M
2003 1,306,393 −2.0% 2.6M 6.3M
2002 1,332,874 −3.2% 2.6M 6.3M
2001 1,376,309 −1.1% 2.7M 6.4M
2000 1,390,947 +2.2% 2.7M 6.5M
1999 1,361,425 +1.8% 2.7M 6.5M
1998 1,336,888 −0.8% 2.7M 6.3M
1997 1,347,527 +1.9% 2.7M 6.3M
1996 1,322,884 +0.1% 2.7M 6.2M
1995 1,321,507 +1.1% 2.7M 6.2M
1994 1,307,058 −0.6% 2.7M 6.1M
1993 1,314,737 −0.2% 2.6M 6.1M
1992 1,316,827 +0.8% 2.6M 6M
1991 1,305,746 −1.3% 2.6M 5.9M
1990 1,323,477 2.6M 5.9M

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025

Ranking · Towns of Illinois

2017 · Place 1 is the highest value.

Year: 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
Highest first Lowest first A–Z
#TerritoryLabour force
47 Addison 20,297
57 Algonquin 17,390
82 Alton 12,673
15 Arlington Heights 40,623
2 Aurora 99,225
32 Bartlett 23,781
66 Batavia 14,603
41 Belleville 21,781
75 Belvidere 13,886
21 Berwyn 30,630
11 Bloomington 42,763
14 Bolingbrook 41,070
31 Buffalo Grove 24,078
72 Burbank 14,250
95 Carbondale 10,386
37 Carol Stream 22,335
43 Carpentersville 21,308
10 Champaign 44,013
1 Chicago 1.4M
89 Chicago Heights 11,851
13 Cicero 41,937
78 Collinsville 13,659
39 Crystal Lake 21,978
88 Danville 11,864
44 DeKalb 21,140
…

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2017

What it means

Residents who work or are looking for work.

How it is calculated

Employed plus unemployed residents, annual average.