Unemployment was up across South Central Illinois in January from December but is still lower than a year ago.
In Marion County, unemployment is now at 5.2 percent, a full percent above December. A year ago unemployment was even higher at 5.6 percent. The numbers translate into 849 on the unemployment rolls and 15,372 employed.
Clinton County now has the lowest unemployment rate in the area at 3.8 percent, up 1.1 percent from December and down six-tenths of a percent from a year ago. Washington County, which traditionally has the lowest unemployment in the region, saw its rate nearly double from 2.1 to 4.1 percent. The number is three-tenths of a percent lower than last January.
Jefferson County’s unemployment jumped eight-tenths of a percent to 4.9 percent which was down two-tenths of a percent from January a year ago.
Fayette County’s rate jumped 1.7 percent to 6.1 percent which is still down six-tenths of a percent from a year ago.
Clay County’s unemployment increased 1.4 percent to an even six percent.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports total nonfarm employment decreased in the Centralia-Mt. Vernon area by 300 jobs from last January. Employment gains were posted in private education-health services up 375 jobs and government up 175 jobs. Year-over-year payroll totals were unchanged among employers in construction, financial activities and professional-business services. Payroll job losses were in trade-transportation-utilities were down 275 jobs, manufacturing jobs were down 225, leisure-hospitality was down 150, and natural resources-mining down 75 jobs.
