CHICAGO (AP) - Unemployment dropped in every Illinois metro area in April and in several areas dropped below the 6.3 percent national rate.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security said Thursday in its monthly report on metro jobless rates that several areas experienced sharp drops.
Unemployment dropped last month to 7.4 percent in the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville area from 9.1 percent a year earlier. The Decatur area also saw a steep decline from 10.5 percent to 9.1 percent. And in Rockford the unemployment rate dipped to 9.2 percent from 10.4 percent.
Areas with lower unemployment than the country as a whole included Bloomington-Normal at 5.5 percent, Champaign-Urbana at 5.8, Davenport-Moline-Rock Island at 5.7 percent and Springfield at 5.7 percent.
Illinois’ statewide unemployment rate stands at 7.9 percent.
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