Illinois Tops National Unemployment Data

Ill. 7.3% unemployment tops US average
By: Lorene Yue Sept. 18, 2008
(Crain’s) — Illinois’ jobless rate in August not only beat the national average; it’s also the second-highest figure in nearly 15 years.

The seasonally adjusted rate of 7.3% was slightly higher than July’s 7.2% and higher than the country’s 6.1% August unemployment rate, according to figures released Thursday by the U.S Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

There were 491,500 Illinois unemployed residents in August, the fourth-consecutive month that figure has grown.

The highest unemployment rate in the past 15 years was a 7.5% rate recorded in September 1993.