April 2025 | Released May 21, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Illinois Employment Snapshot

• In April, Illinois added 4,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.8 percent. In the prior month, Illinois added 10,900 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Illinois added 36,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 5.1 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 38th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Illinois’s private sector added 1,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 19,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Illinois added 9,700 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Illinois fell by 2,729, and over the past 12 months it rose by 37,790.

• Illinois’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 64.9 percent in April and is tied for 17th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Illinois Payroll Employment

• Illinois added 4,100 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Illinois added 10,900 jobs. Illinois nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 38th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Illinois added 1,400 private sector jobs, or 0 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Illinois added 9,700 jobs. Illinois private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 39th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during April were Government (2,700) and Education and Health Services (1,700).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Manufacturing (-1,200) and Professional and Business Services (-1,400).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (18,200) and Government (16,800).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Manufacturing (-5,300) and Professional and Business Services (-11,500).

Illinois Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Illinois remained unchanged at 64.9 percent in April.

• Illinois is tied for 17th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Illinois was 65.6 percent occurring in April 2016, and the 10-year low was 61.8 percent in June 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in April.