Unemployment dipped four-tenths of a percent in Marion County from November to December and is down 2.2-percent from December a year ago.
The latest numbers released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security put the county’s current unemployment at 4.4-percent. That translates into 710 unemployed out of a workforce of 16,238. It appears much of the drop can be attributed to a drop in the number of people making up the county’s workforce It fell 374 persons while the number on unemployment dropped 69 to 710 people.
Elsewhere in the region, unemployment dropped two tenths of a percent to 2.1-percent in Washington County which continues to have the lowest unemployment level in the region. Jefferson County’s rate fell four-tenths of a percent to 4.4-percent between November and December. Clinton County’s rate fell a tenth of a percent to 2.4-percent. Fayette County’s rate remained stable at 3.7-percent. Clay County’s rate was the only one in the region to increase. It was up two-tenths of a percent to 4.4-percent.
All the counties showed a decline of unemployment of around two percent, except Washington County which is down just 1.3-percent from a year ago.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported an increase of 600 jobs in the Centralia-Mt. Vernon labor market for the past year. Professional and Business Services had the biggest growth at 150 jobs. Government and Manufacturing had a growth of 100 jobs apiece. Construction was up 75 jobs. The only drop was in financial activities, down 25 jobs.
