Unemployment was down slightly in Marion County in December.
Figures being released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security places the county’s unemployment at 4.3-percent. That’s a drop of a half percent from November and three-tenths of a percent from December a year ago. The numbers translate into 699 on the unemployment rolls, a drop of 79 from November. The labor market also shrunk slightly to 16,268. That’s a drop of 58 people from November.
Washington County continues to have the lowest unemployment in South Central Illinois. their rate of 2.1-percent is down two-tenths of a percent from November. Clinton County’s rate remained stable at 2.7-percent. In Jefferson County, the rate fell seven-tenths of a percent to 4.3-percent. Clay County’s rate was down two-tenths of a percent to 4.4-percent. Fayette County’s rate was the only one to increase in the past month. The 4.3-percent rate is two-tenths of a percent higher than in November.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports nonfarm employment increased by 400 since December 2021 in the Centralia-Mt. Vernon employment area. The biggest gain was 300 more jobs in government, 100 more in manufacturing, and 25 apiece in leisure and hospitality, construction, as well as professional and business services. The only decline was in educational and health service, down 75 jobs.
