Tom Austin from the Illinois Department of Employment Security says at the same time, the number of people working in this area went up by 8,600, thanks to diversity in the local economy.
"We're always seeing gains, not just in manufacturing but professional and business services, it has its leisure and hospitality sector, and also there's a strong government sector, and retail trade. And when we see those gains in those industries, they kind of offset losses that we sometimes see in other industries."
The only categories with declines during the plast year were education and health services, and financial activities.
Looking at all 14 major, metro areas in Illinois, the Quad Cities had the second highest percentage increase in the number of new jobs during the past year, 4.8 per cent. Second only to Rockford with a 5.5 per cent increase. Excluding the Chicago area, the Quad Cities also recorded the highest yearly increase in the number of jobs, 8,600, of all the downstate metro areas.
Local unemployment in July ranged from 3.5 per cent in Mercer County, to 4.1 in Henry and Bureau counties, 4.3 per cent in Rock Island and Whiteside counties, and 5.5 per cent in Knox County ( and 6 per cent just in the city of Galesburg ).
