Local Employment Trends December 2016

News Item

01.26.2017

Today, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) released preliminary December 2016 labor market estimates for municipalities across the state. This economic brief summarizes these estimates, which are based on two different surveys:

The Current Population Survey (or “household survey”), which collects monthly employment data from U.S. households.
The Current Employment Statistics Survey (or “employer survey”), which collects monthly jobs and industry data from private employers.

HOUSEHOLD SURVEY

Chicago’s unemployment rate declined slightly from 6.0 in December 2015 to 5.9 in December 2016
The number of employed Chicago (city) residents increased by 2,959 compared to the year prior, from 1,277,016 in December 2015 to an estimated 1,279,975 in December 2016.
Unemployed Chicago (city) residents decreased by 1,912 compared to the year prior, from 81,814 in December 2015 to an estimated 79,902 in December 2016.

The following charts summarize monthly employment trends. Data is not seasonally adjusted.

Note: Rates are not adjusted for seasonality, and should be compared year-over-year. City selection based on size and availability of data.

EMPLOYER SURVEY

According to payroll job estimates from IDES, private sector employers located in the city of Chicago have added an estimated 14,581 jobs since December 2015. The largest gains were in the leisure and hospitality (+6,523), transportation, warehousing and utilities (+4,155), and professional and business services (+3,132) sectors.

The following table summarizes private employer payroll estimates. Data is not seasonally adjusted.

Jobs by Industry

City of Chicago (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

	Dec-2015	Dec-2016	Change
Total Private	1,218,592	1,233,173	14,581
Leisure and Hospitality	135,425	141,948	6,523
Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities	75,397	79,552	4,155
Professional and Business Services	284,425	287,557	3,132
Retail Trade	103,795	105,688	1,893
Wholesale trade	46,298	47,161	863
Information	35,168	35,547	379
Manufacturing	61,332	61,552	220
Financial Activities	130,465	130,474	9
Natural Resources and Mining	258	246	-12
Educational and Health Services	249,749	249,693	-56
Construction	29,379	28,433	-946
Other Services	66,902	65,322	-1,580

_{Source: Illinois Department of Employment Security}

World Business Chicago is a public-private, non-profit partnership that drives inclusive economic growth and job creation, supports business, and promotes Chicago as a leading global city. WBC’s “Economic Briefs” track indicators from month to month to gauge the strength of several aspects of Chicago’s economy, including unemployment, population, venture capital, job openings and new hires, home sales, tourism, etc. This data provides a clear analytic framework for specific Plan strategies and initiatives. For a summary of these and other economic indicators, refer to WBC’s monthly Chicago By The Numbers.