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| Galesburg and Knox County May Unemployment Down Slighty |
Local unemployment numbers dropped a little between April and May, a sharp contrast to the rates in most of Illinois' metropolitan areas.
Figures from the Illinois Department of Employment Security show unemployment climbed in 10 of the 12 metro areas last month. The biggest jump was the Rockford area's 1.3 percent increase to 13.4 overall, the highest among the twelve. The Kankakee-Bradley area was unchanged at 10.6 percent and the Peoria area's rate fell two-tenths to 8.9 percent. Over-the-year unemployment is up in all of the metropolitan areas for the 24th consecutive month.
Both Knox County's and Galesburg's rates are down 2-tenths of a percent - to 8.4 in the city and 8.3 in the county. IDES numbers indicate 454 more people were employed in Knox County in May compared to April. Unemployment rose 3-tenths to 6 percent in Warren County, although that percentage is still the third lowest rate among counties in Illinois.
The Galesburg area's unemployment rate last month was 7.7 percent. State employment officials say the rate in May of last year was 6 percent, and the area has seen a total decrease of 250 non-farm payroll jobs over the past 12 months. The biggest hits were to the manufacturing, construction and leisure/hospitality sectors.
Three other area counties experienced drops in unemployment last month - Fulton, Henderson and Mercer counties. Mercer had the biggest decline at 9-tenths of a percent. Henry and McDonough counties had small increases in their unemployment rates.
IDES Director Maureen O'Donnell says the economy continues to tighten, and that contraction continues to pressure local economies and potentially means further increases in the unemployment rate. Statewide, unemployment climbed to 10.1 percent last month. The national rate was a little lower at 9.4 percent. |
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| 06 26 09 by Newsroom |
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