Wabash County’s jobless rate continues to be strong according to the latest figures from the State’s Department of Employment Security. The October numbers released this week show that Wabash County’s 3.6% is one of the lowest in southern Illinois and slightly above the 3.4% rate in Hamilton County. The October rate locally is a tick above the 3.5% level in October of last year.
In the Mt. Carmel-Olney IDES region, total nonfarm payrolls increased by +150 positions between October 2023 and October 2024. Payrolls increased among employers in the Private Education, Health Services (+75), Other Services (+50), Leisure Hospitality (+25) and Government (+25) sectors. Payroll employment was unchanged for employers in the Natural Resources-Mining, Information, Professional-Business Services, Construction and Manufacturing sectors. Employers in the Financial Activities (-25) and Trade-Transportation Utilities (-25) sectors shed jobs between October 2023 and October 2024.
The highest unemployment rate in southern Illinois continues to be in Pulaski County where the rate is 7.7%. Statewide, Illinois’ unemployment was 5.2%.