Tom Austin from the Illinois Department of Employment Security says this area gained 7,500 jobs, with more jobs in the categories of Leisure and Hospitality, Professional and Business Services, Retail Trade, Government, and Manufacturing.
The only job losses during the past year occurred in Education and Health Services, and Financial Activities.
The highest unemployment rates for August in this area included 6.2 per cent in Galesburg and 5.5 per cent in Knox County. The lowest rates were in Mercer County at 3.4 per cent and 3.8 per cent in Henderson County.
Rates fell in all 14 Illinois metropolitan areas in August, with the largest percentage job gains in Rockford, the Chicago area, and the Quad Cities.
