The Quad Cities economy started the new year on an "up" note. Unemployment in January fell to 4.7 per cent from 6.1 per cent a year ago.
Tom Austin from the Illinois Department of Employment Security says there was a mix of gains and losses.
"We saw some declines in industries such as construction, which we typically see around this time of the year. But we saw some growth in other industries such as manufacturing, professional business services, education health services, as well as the largest growth in leisure and hospitality when we're looking over the year."
After many months of declines last year, the manufacturing sector in the Quad Cities gained 800 jobs in January, compared to the previous year, while leisure and hospitality rose by 1,000.
The January unemployment rate in the Quad Cities translates into about 8,900 people out of work and looking for jobs.
And the last time our January rate was this low or lower was in 1998, when it was 4 per cent.
