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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
2024 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Unemployment rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | Quincy | 3.7% | |
| 100 | Edwardsville | 3.7% | |
| 99 | St. Charles | 4.0% | |
| 98 | O'Fallon | 4.0% | |
| 97 | Normal | 4.0% | |
| 96 | Bloomington | 4.0% | |
| 95 | Wheaton | 4.1% | |
| 94 | Plainfield | 4.1% | |
| 93 | Park Ridge | 4.1% | |
| 92 | Glenview | 4.1% | |
| 91 | Downers Grove | 4.1% | |
| 90 | Collinsville | 4.1% | |
| 89 | Batavia | 4.1% | |
| 88 | Arlington Heights | 4.1% | |
| 87 | Algonquin | 4.1% | |
| 86 | Yorkville | 4.2% | |
| 85 | Naperville | 4.2% | |
| 84 | Lombard | 4.2% | |
| 83 | Lockport | 4.2% | |
| 82 | Gurnee | 4.2% | |
| 81 | Elmhurst | 4.2% | |
| 80 | Buffalo Grove | 4.2% | |
| 79 | Woodridge | 4.3% | |
| 78 | Vernon Hills | 4.3% | |
| 77 | Schaumburg | 4.3% | |
| … | |||
| 27 | Galesburg | 5.4% | |
| 26 | Rock Island | 5.5% | |
| 25 | Freeport | 5.5% | |
| 24 | Chicago | 5.5% | |
| 23 | Peoria | 5.6% | |
| 22 | Moline | 5.6% | |
| 21 | Hanover Park | 5.6% | |
| … |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2024
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