How many jobs were lost in Illinois last month?
Refreshed monthly
Illinois lost 4,400 jobs in August 2026, ranking it 47th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 5,800 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
-4.4K
month to month change in number of jobs (August 2026)
47th
rank among states in monthly job growth (August 2026)
Illinois’s job loss of 4,400 in August 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was down from the 15,300 gain in July 2026.
During the latest five year period (September 2021 to August 2026), Illinois gained jobs in 36 out of 60 months. August 2026 had the 11th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+60,800) while job growth was weakest in July 2023 (-24,400).
There were 4,400 fewer jobs in August 2026 in Illinois than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, September 2021–August 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Illinois sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in August 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in August 2026 were administrative and support and waste management and remediation services, accommodation and food services, and construction. Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services added 3,200 jobs, more than the entire economy. Accommodation and food services gained 2,600 jobs, while construction added 1,500. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were health care and social assistance, professional, scientific, and technical services, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. Health care and social assistance lost 6,100 jobs in August 2026, while professional, scientific, and technical services lost 2,600 jobs and transportation, warehousing, and utilities lost 1,600 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector lost 6,100 jobs during August 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Illinois (August 2026)
How has Illinois's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, Illinois lost an average of 525 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 3,100, and the lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as fourth-lowest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 22,400 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 10,000 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Illinois lost an average of 525 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among eight metro areas primarily in Illinois during August 2026 ranged from a loss of 400 jobs in the Bloomington, IL area to a gain of 400 jobs in the Peoria, IL area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Illinois
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +1,800 | |
| 2. | +400 | |
| 3. | +300 | |
| 4. | +200 | |
| 5. | +200 | |
| 6. | -200 | |
| 7. | -300 | |
| 8. | -300 | |
| 9. | -400 | |
| 10. | -500 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
