Jobs numbers for February are out and the news continues to improve for Wabash County. The local jobless rate fell to 4.1% from 4.3% in January and 6% in February of last year. The lowest February unemployment rate in southern Illinois was in Jackson County at 3.8% while the highest was in Johnson County at 7.4%.
2/18 2/17 Change
Edwards County 4.2% 5.7% -1.5%
Lawrence County 5.4% 7.6% -2.2%
Richland County 4.1% 5.7% -1.6%
Wabash County 4.1% 6.0% -1.9%
Wayne County 5.2% 7.7% -2.5%
Area employers advertised for 2,300 positions in February and approximately 82 percent sought full-time employment, according to Help Wanted Online data compiled by the Conference Board, which is a global, independent business membership and research association. Employers need more workers than the help wanted advertising indicated because some industries, such as Construction, typically do not post advertised job openings.
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in February 2018 in the Carbondale-Marion Metropolitan Statistical Area (Jackson and Williamson Counties). This is a (-1.1%) decrease compared to February 2017, when the jobless rate was 5.4 percent. There were approximately 2,550 unemployed in February 2018 in the two counties. Unemployment decreased in all 21 counties in the Southern Region compared to one year-ago.
Area employers continued to show demand in Retail Trade, Transportation and Warehousing, Administrative and Support Services, and Educational Services in February 2018.
Decreased hiring demand occurred in Public Administration and Accommodation-Food Services compared to February 2017.
Top occupations for hire included Truck Drivers, Insurance Sales Agents, Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers, and Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers.
The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment. A person who exhausts benefits, or is ineligible, still will be reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work
