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economy section.name · section.levels.city preliminary

Unemployment rate, latest month in Chicago

Aug 2024 – Sep 2026 · 25 data points section.rank · Towns of Illinois section.updated Nov 10, 2026
economy · Chicago Cook County Illinois

section.source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Aug 2024 – Sep 2026

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overview 4 figures people 21 figures economy 20 figures housing 8 figures education 10 figures tourism 3 figures climate 8 figures
Latest value · Sep 2026 4.9% −1.1 pp section.change_since
Towns of Illinois · 2026 section.rank Place 1 is the highest value.
vs Cook County +0.2 pp Cook County: 4.7% · Sep 2026
section.compare Unemployment rate, latest month · percent
Chicago
4.9%
Cook County
4.7%
Illinois
4.2%

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

The series at a glance Chicago · Aug 2024 – Sep 2026
Latest value 4.9% · Sep 2026
First value 6.2% · Aug 2024
Highest 6.2% · Aug 2024
Lowest 4.5% · Sep 2025
Data points 25

By year

section.all_years · Aug 2024 – Sep 2026

YearChicagoChange Cook CountyIllinois
Sep 2026preliminary 4.9% −1.1 pp 4.7% 4.2%
Aug 2026 6.0% +0.5 pp 5.9% 4.9%
Jul 2026 5.5% −0.4 pp 5.4% 4.6%
Jun 2026 5.9% +0.5 pp 5.8% 5.1%
May 2026 5.4% +0.1 pp 5.3% 4.7%
Apr 2026 5.3% +0.2 pp 5.3% 4.7%
Mar 2026 5.1% −0.4 pp 5.1% 5.2%
Feb 2026 5.5% +0.1 pp 5.5% 5.5%
Jan 2026 5.4% +0.8 pp 5.3% 5.4%
Dec 2025 4.6% −0.5 pp 4.6% 4.8%
Nov 2025 5.1% +0.6 pp 4.9% 4.8%
Sep 2025 4.5% −0.4 pp 4.3% 4.3%
Aug 2025 4.9% −0.2 pp 4.7% 4.6%
Jul 2025 5.1% ±0.0 pp 5.0% 4.7%
Jun 2025 5.1% +0.4 pp 5.0% 4.6%
May 2025 4.7% −0.1 pp 4.6% 4.2%
Apr 2025 4.8% −0.2 pp 4.7% 4.2%
Mar 2025 5.0% −0.3 pp 5.0% 4.7%
Feb 2025 5.3% +0.2 pp 5.3% 5.0%
Jan 2025 5.1% +0.5 pp 5.1% 5.0%
Dec 2024 4.6% −0.7 pp 4.5% 4.3%
Nov 2024 5.3% −0.3 pp 5.1% 4.5%
Oct 2024 5.6% ±0.0 pp 5.4% 4.7%
Sep 2024 5.6% −0.6 pp 5.4% 4.8%
Aug 2024 6.2% 6.0% 5.4%

section.source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Aug 2024 – Sep 2026

Ranking · Towns of Illinois

2026 · Place 1 is the highest value.

Year: 2026 2025 2024
Highest first Lowest first A–Z
#TerritoryUnemployment rate, latest month
101 Quincy 3.0%
100 Round Lake Beach 3.1%
99 O'Fallon 3.1%
98 Edwardsville 3.1%
97 Collinsville 3.2%
96 West Chicago 3.3%
95 Batavia 3.3%
94 Wheeling 3.4%
93 Mundelein 3.4%
92 Glendale Heights 3.4%
91 Bloomington 3.4%
90 Addison 3.4%
89 Waukegan 3.5%
88 St. Charles 3.5%
87 Normal 3.5%
86 Lockport 3.5%
85 Carpentersville 3.5%
84 Yorkville 3.6%
83 Woodstock 3.6%
82 Woodridge 3.6%
81 Oswego 3.6%
80 Highland Park 3.6%
79 Carol Stream 3.6%
78 Algonquin 3.6%
77 New Lenox 3.7%
…
17 Oak Park 4.7%
16 Galesburg 4.7%
15 Elmwood Park 4.7%
14 Chicago 4.9%
13 Carbondale 4.9%
12 Rockford 5.0%
11 Kankakee 5.1%
…

section.source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2026

section.what

The most recent monthly unemployment rate.

section.how

Unemployed people divided by the labour force for the latest month published, not seasonally adjusted.