- Home
- Chicago
- Statistics
- Economy & jobs
- Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate in Chicago
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics · OECD Regional Database · World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics · OECD Regional Database · World Bank — World Development Indicators
By year
All years · 1990 – 2025
| Year | Chicago | Change | Cook County | Illinois | United States | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.9% | −0.6 pp | 4.8% | 4.6% | — | 4.8% |
| 2024 | 5.5% | +1.0 pp | 5.3% | 5.0% | — | 4.8% |
| 2023 | 4.5% | −0.5 pp | 4.4% | 4.5% | 3.6% | 4.8% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | −2.3 pp | 5.0% | 4.6% | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| 2021 | 7.3% | −3.9 pp | 6.9% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 6.0% |
| 2020 | 11.2% | +7.3 pp | 10.7% | 9.3% | 8.1% | 6.6% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | −0.3 pp | 3.9% | 4.0% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | −1.0 pp | 4.1% | 4.4% | 3.9% | 5.8% |
| 2017 | 5.2% | −1.1 pp | 5.1% | 5.0% | 4.4% | 5.9% |
| 2016 | 6.3% | −0.4 pp | 6.2% | 5.9% | 4.9% | 6.0% |
| 2015 | 6.7% | −1.3 pp | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.3% | 6.0% |
| 2014 | 8.0% | −2.1 pp | 7.6% | 7.2% | 6.2% | 6.0% |
| 2013 | 10.1% | +0.1 pp | 9.7% | 9.1% | 5.3% | 6.1% |
| 2012 | 10.0% | −1.0 pp | 9.6% | 9.0% | 8.1% | 6.2% |
| 2011 | 11.0% | −0.1 pp | 10.6% | 9.8% | 9.0% | 6.1% |
| 2010 | 11.1% | +0.3 pp | 10.8% | 10.4% | 9.6% | 6.3% |
| 2009 | 10.8% | +3.7 pp | 10.3% | 10.0% | 9.3% | 6.4% |
| 2008 | 7.1% | +1.2 pp | 6.6% | 6.5% | 5.8% | 5.8% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | +0.4 pp | 5.4% | 5.1% | 4.6% | 5.8% |
| 2006 | 5.5% | −1.7 pp | 4.9% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 6.0% |
| 2005 | 7.2% | −0.4 pp | 6.5% | 5.7% | 5.1% | 6.2% |
| 2004 | 7.6% | −0.6 pp | 6.9% | 6.2% | 5.5% | 6.3% |
| 2003 | 8.2% | −0.5 pp | 7.4% | 6.7% | 6.0% | 6.5% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | +1.8 pp | 7.7% | 6.5% | 5.8% | 6.4% |
| 2001 | 6.9% | +1.3 pp | 6.2% | 5.4% | 4.8% | 6.2% |
| 2000 | 5.6% | −0.6 pp | 4.9% | 4.5% | 4.0% | 6.1% |
| 1999 | 6.2% | −0.1 pp | 5.2% | 4.4% | 4.2% | 6.3% |
| 1998 | 6.3% | −0.6 pp | 5.3% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 6.2% |
| 1997 | 6.9% | −0.5 pp | 5.8% | 4.8% | 4.9% | 6.0% |
| 1996 | 7.4% | +0.2 pp | 6.1% | 5.3% | 5.4% | 6.0% |
| 1995 | 7.2% | −0.8 pp | 6.0% | 5.2% | 5.6% | 5.9% |
| 1994 | 8.0% | −2.3 pp | 6.7% | 5.8% | — | 5.8% |
| 1993 | 10.3% | −0.2 pp | 8.6% | 7.5% | — | 5.5% |
| 1992 | 10.5% | +0.6 pp | 8.9% | 7.9% | — | 5.3% |
| 1991 | 9.9% | +0.9 pp | 8.2% | 7.3% | — | 5.1% |
| 1990 | 9.0% | 7.3% | 6.3% | — | — |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics · OECD Regional Database · World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025
Ranking · Towns of Illinois
2014 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Unemployment rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvey | 14.6% | |
| 2 | East St Louis | 13.5% | |
| 3 | Dolton | 12.1% | |
| 4 | Maywood | 11.7% | |
| 5 | Chicago Heights | 11.4% | |
| 6 | Kankakee | 10.8% | |
| 7 | Alton | 10.1% | |
| 8 | Park Forest | 10.0% | |
| 9 | Rockford | 9.6% | |
| 10 | Decatur | 9.4% | |
| 11 | Joliet | 9.3% | |
| 12 | Round Lake Beach | 9.2% | |
| 13 | Belvidere | 9.1% | |
| 14 | Zion | 9.1% | |
| 15 | Danville | 9.0% | |
| 16 | North Chicago | 8.9% | |
| 17 | Romeoville | 8.7% | |
| 18 | Waukegan | 8.6% | |
| 19 | Freeport | 8.4% | |
| 20 | Cicero | 8.3% | |
| 21 | Lansing | 8.2% | |
| 22 | Berwyn | 8.1% | |
| 23 | Carpentersville | 8.1% | |
| 24 | Elgin | 8.1% | |
| 25 | Chicago | 8.0% | |
| 26 | Burbank | 7.9% | |
| 27 | Peoria | 7.8% | |
| 28 | Belleville | 7.6% | |
| … |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2014
The share of people who want a job and are looking for one but do not have one.
Unemployed people divided by the labour force (employed plus unemployed), following the international definition; annual average.
Economy & jobs
Statistics: Chicago