The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported unemployment in Marion County in February was 5.5 percent, up a tenth of a percent from January and a full percentage higher than in February a year ago.
The numbers translates into 887 currently on the unemployment rolls, compared to 853 last month and 723 a year ago. There are currently 15,045 employed in Marion County, down 333 from January.
The lowest unemployment in the area was Clinton County at 4.1 percent, up four tenths of a percent compared to January. Washington’s County unemployment was 4.2 percent, up three-tenths of a percent. Jefferson County’s unemployment increased a tenth of a percent to an even six-percent. Clay County’s unemployment was 5.8-percent, down three-tenths of a percent. Fayette County’s rate fell three-tenths of a percent to 6.6-percent. All the unemployment rates are more than one percent higher than a year ago, except Clinton County (up six tenths of a percent) and Washington County (up seven-tenths of a percent).
The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports a loss of 225 jobs in the Centralia-Mt. Vernon area from February a year ago. There was an increase of 350 jobs in private education-health services, 125 in government and 25 in construction. The biggest decline in payroll jobs was 250 jobs in professional-business services, 200 in manufacture, and 75 jobs apiece in financial activities, leisure-hospitality, and trade-transportation-utilities.
Statewide, unemployment is now at 5.5 percent up from 5 percent last February.
