Illinois grew jobs in eight of its 13 metropolitan areas during April, but the Chicago area’s sluggish growth and a stubbornly high unemployment rate tempered any gains.

Despite a full year of job gains, all Illinois metropolitan areas are missing jobs since the pandemic began and the recovery stalled. While May brought job gains statewide, only eight metro areas saw gains while seven saw losses.

Illinois’ record population decline affected virtually all of the state’s largest cities.

Eight of 13 Illinois-based metro areas lost jobs in April.

Progressive income tax would essentially wipe out all 2019 employment gains in Illinois, and then some.

Despite Gov. J.B. Pritzker touting growth in “every major region,” Illinois shed jobs in three metropolitan areas and lagged the national average in seven more.

New Census data reveal that for the first time on record, all 10 metro areas based primarily in Illinois experienced population decline.

Eight of Illinois’ 10 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, or MSAs, saw their unemployment rates rise or remain stagnant compared to October 2012, according to today’s combined September-October metropolitan area unemployment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Decatur and Danville regions are still suffering the highest unemployment in the state, with 12.3 percent and...