Unemployment increased slightly in Marion and Jefferson County while it continued to decline in the rest of South Central Illinois.
The March unemployment rate in Marion County was 6.1-percent. That’s up a tenth of a percent from February and 2.3-percent above a year earlier before COVID-19 hit hard. The latest unemployment numbers break down to a total workforce of 16,204 people, with 1,004 listed as unemployed. The workforce is down 20 people and unemployment is up three people from February.
Unemployment in Jefferson County increased from 6.3 to 6.5-percent and is up 2.7-percent from a year ago.
Other area counties continued to see a decline in unemployment. Washington County had the lowest rate in the region at 2.7-percent, down from 3.2-percent in February but still six-tenths of a percent higher than a year ago. Unemployment in Clinton County was 3.7-percent, a drop of a half percent from February but still one percent higher than a year earlier.
In Fayette County, unemployment is now 6.2-percent, a drop of three-tenths of a percent from February and still 2.1-percent higher than a year ago. Clay County’s unemployment is also at 6.2-percent, down three-tenths of a percent from February.
Total non-farm employment decreased by 2,825 people in the Centralia-Mt. Vernon area since March of last year. The biggest declines were in Educational and Health Services, down 950. Leisure and hospitality are down 675 jobs. Government jobs declined 350 jobs. Manufacturing jobs were down 225 jobs. Natural Resources and Mining fell 175 jobs and construction by 125 jobs. No job classification saw more employees than a year earlier.
