January 2026 | Released April 08, 2026
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United States
Employment snapshot
In January, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 9, rose in 22, and remained unchanged in 20.
The highest unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.
In January, payroll jobs rose in 45 states and fell in 6. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in California and North Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.7 percent in District of Columbia.
Illinois
Employment snapshot
In January, Illinois added 18,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.9 percent. In the prior month, Illinois added 11,600 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Illinois added 7,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 4.7 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 23rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In January, Illinois’s private sector added 17,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 5,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Illinois added 10,000 net private payroll jobs.
In January, employment in Illinois fell by 10,040, and over the past 12 months it fell by 85,669.
Illinois’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 63.9 percent in January and ranks 16th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.9 percentage points.
Illinois
Payroll employment
Illinois added 18,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Illinois added 11,600 jobs. Illinois nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 23rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Illinois added 17,800 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Illinois added 10,000 jobs. Illinois private sector payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. Illinois is tied for 28th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From December 2025 to January 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Construction (+13,500) and Manufacturing (+8,400).
- The worst performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (-3,500) and Federal Government (-1,000).
From January 2025 to January 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+18,300) and Construction (+14,000).
- The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-12,300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-10,000).
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 63.9 percent in January.
Illinois ranks 16th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Illinois was 65.6 percent occurring in February 2016, and the 10-year low was 61.8 percent in June 2020.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.9 percent in March.