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Unemployment rate in Cook County
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 | Cook County | Change | Illinois | United States | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.8% | −0.5 pp | 4.6% | — | 4.8% |
| 2024 | 5.3% | +0.9 pp | 5.0% | — | 4.8% |
| 2023 | 4.4% | −0.6 pp | 4.5% | 3.6% | 4.8% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | −1.9 pp | 4.6% | 3.7% | 5.2% |
| 2021 | 6.9% | −3.8 pp | 6.1% | 5.4% | 6.0% |
| 2020 | 10.7% | +6.8 pp | 9.3% | 8.1% | 6.6% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | −0.2 pp | 4.0% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | −1.0 pp | 4.4% | 3.9% | 5.8% |
| 2017 | 5.1% | −1.1 pp | 5.0% | 4.4% | 5.9% |
| 2016 | 6.2% | −0.1 pp | 5.9% | 4.9% | 6.0% |
| 2015 | 6.3% | −1.3 pp | 6.0% | 5.3% | 6.0% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | −2.1 pp | 7.2% | 6.2% | 6.0% |
| 2013 | 9.7% | +0.1 pp | 9.1% | 5.3% | 6.1% |
| 2012 | 9.6% | −1.0 pp | 9.0% | 8.1% | 6.2% |
| 2011 | 10.6% | −0.2 pp | 9.8% | 9.0% | 6.1% |
| 2010 | 10.8% | +0.5 pp | 10.4% | 9.6% | 6.3% |
| 2009 | 10.3% | +3.7 pp | 10.0% | 9.3% | 6.4% |
| 2008 | 6.6% | +1.2 pp | 6.5% | 5.8% | 5.8% |
| 2007 | 5.4% | +0.5 pp | 5.1% | 4.6% | 5.8% |
| 2006 | 4.9% | −1.6 pp | 4.6% | 4.6% | 6.0% |
| 2005 | 6.5% | −0.4 pp | 5.7% | 5.1% | 6.2% |
| 2004 | 6.9% | −0.5 pp | 6.2% | 5.5% | 6.3% |
| 2003 | 7.4% | −0.3 pp | 6.7% | 6.0% | 6.5% |
| 2002 | 7.7% | +1.5 pp | 6.5% | 5.8% | 6.4% |
| 2001 | 6.2% | +1.3 pp | 5.4% | 4.8% | 6.2% |
| 2000 | 4.9% | −0.3 pp | 4.5% | 4.0% | 6.1% |
| 1999 | 5.2% | −0.1 pp | 4.4% | 4.2% | 6.3% |
| 1998 | 5.3% | −0.5 pp | 4.5% | 4.5% | 6.2% |
| 1997 | 5.8% | −0.3 pp | 4.8% | 4.9% | 6.0% |
| 1996 | 6.1% | +0.1 pp | 5.3% | 5.4% | 6.0% |
| 1995 | 6.0% | −0.7 pp | 5.2% | 5.6% | 5.9% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | −1.9 pp | 5.8% | — | 5.8% |
| 1993 | 8.6% | −0.3 pp | 7.5% | — | 5.5% |
| 1992 | 8.9% | +0.7 pp | 7.9% | — | 5.3% |
| 1991 | 8.2% | +0.9 pp | 7.3% | — | 5.1% |
| 1990 | 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 · Regions of Illinois
2023 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Unemployment rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pulaski County | 7.2% | |
| 2 | Alexander County | 6.6% | |
| 3 | Boone County | 6.6% | |
| 4 | Macon County | 6.1% | |
| 5 | Winnebago County | 6.1% | |
| 6 | Kankakee County | 5.9% | |
| 7 | Vermilion County | 5.9% | |
| 8 | Bureau County | 5.7% | |
| 9 | LaSalle County | 5.7% | |
| 10 | Johnson County | 5.6% | |
| 11 | Clay County | 5.5% | |
| 12 | Gallatin County | 5.5% | |
| 13 | Knox County | 5.5% | |
| 14 | Putnam County | 5.5% | |
| 15 | Peoria County | 5.4% | |
| 16 | Stark County | 5.4% | |
| 17 | Pope County | 5.3% | |
| 18 | Franklin County | 5.2% | |
| 19 | Fulton County | 5.2% | |
| 20 | Marshall County | 5.2% | |
| 21 | Ogle County | 5.2% | |
| 22 | Rock Island County | 5.2% | |
| 23 | Fayette County | 5.1% | |
| 24 | Lake County | 5.1% | |
| 25 | Perry County | 5.1% | |
| … | |||
| 55 | Henderson County | 4.5% | |
| 56 | Macoupin County | 4.5% | |
| 57 | Williamson County | 4.5% | |
| 58 | Cook County | 4.4% | |
| 59 | Ford County | 4.4% | |
| 60 | Massac County | 4.4% | |
| 61 | Sangamon County | 4.4% | |
| … |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2023
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
Cook County in numbers