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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

2020 · 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 19,339
57 Algonquin 16,725
81 Alton 12,242
15 Arlington Heights 38,464
2 Aurora 93,494
33 Bartlett 22,555
71 Batavia 13,896
38 Belleville 21,386
75 Belvidere 13,292
21 Berwyn 29,406
11 Bloomington 40,461
14 Bolingbrook 39,298
31 Buffalo Grove 23,060
72 Burbank 13,704
96 Carbondale 10,133
39 Carol Stream 21,179
45 Carpentersville 20,083
10 Champaign 44,952
1 Chicago 1.4M
90 Chicago Heights 11,378
13 Cicero 39,759
77 Collinsville 13,202
41 Crystal Lake 21,045
89 Danville 11,408
44 DeKalb 20,112
…

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2020

What it means

Residents who work or are looking for work.

How it is calculated

Employed plus unemployed residents, annual average.