For the second month in a row, unemployment in the Quad Cities in July was the lowest of any major metropolitan area in Illinois. It was 3.7 per cent compared to 4.2 per cent in July of last year.
Tom Austin from the Illinois Department of Employment security credits the combination of more people working, and fewer considered unemployed.
"As individuals see the unemployment rate is coming down, they're coming in to the labor force and finding employment. And that's what's keeping that unemployment rate down, as well as the number of people employed.
In July, the Quad Cities added jobs in manufacturing, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality. But this area lost jobs in retail, education and health, and government.
The unemployment rate of 3.7 per cent means about 7,300 area residents were out of work and looking for jobs. The last time July unemployment was this low or lower was in 2001.
The Quad Cities unemployment rate has fallen compared to the year-ago level, each month, since October of 2016.
