By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
The number of unemployed Illinoisans rose again in September. This marks Illinois’ 9th-month in a row for rising unemployment, now totaling 344,000 Illinoisans.
Illinois’ unemployment rate also remained one of the nation’s worst. At 5.26%, Illinois’ rate ranked third, behind only Nevada (5.62%) and California (5.32%). The national average for September was 4.1%.
Some of our neighbors have unemployment rates that are still one to two percentage points lower than Illinois’. Iowa and Wisconsin and are particular standouts at 2.9%, the nation’s 13th- and 8th-lowest unemployment rates, respectively.
A considerable 157,000 more Illinoisans would be working today if Illinois had the same low unemployment rate as Wisconsin.
For a few more details on joblessness, go to: Illinois unemployment worsens for 8th-straight month in August, nation’s 3rd-highest
And for an update on Illinois’ economy since Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office, go to: Illinois’ Gov. Pritzker delivers Democrats’ national economic pitch at DNC. A look at his own record is revealing.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Illinois lost another 54,000 tax filers and dependents, net, according to the IRS. Since 2000, fleeing taxpayers have taken $94 billion of annual adjusted gross income with them.
Whatever the metric, these are the numbers the left in Illinois are comfortable using to reflect the great national economy. Makes you wonder what happens to Illinois when when the election is over and all the engineering of the stock market and economic numbers get “revised”.
Mark, I don’t think anyone reading this article knows what the unemployment rate actually refers to, let alone what a terribly outdated metric it is. Anything under about 6% means you have such demand for labor that even the otherwise unemployable have found work. IL stinks in many ways but this does not make the point your readers are going to think it does.
There’s indeed lots of controversy about employment numbers today that would be too long to try to summarize fairly. I would say, however, that I don’t agree that numbers below 6% mean what you say, though you are not alone in that claim. And I do think the “third-worst” metric says a lot.
Wow! Yesterday it was denying the U.S. Census, and today it’s denying the Bureau of Labor Statistics!!! Denial seems the order of the day for IL.
Here’s the release https://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm
Not looking at absolutes, the rate of change for IL is going the wrong direction, and by a LOT.
I assume you are using the U-3 number which is the headline unemployment number. We improve to 4th place using the U-6 number.
https://www.bls.gov/lau/stalt.htm
The two main beacon’s of Leftism / Marxism, CA and IL, have the highest unemployment. Elections have consequences. Enjoy your access to late term abortion and infanticide.
LIES!! ALL LIES!! Illinois is perfect. There is no population loss. No bad schools. No pension problem. Crime is nonexistent. You need to believe your masters- eh leaders- when they tell you that you are imagining all these problems. And the sad fact is that most Illinoisans will believe them. Watch the coming election. It won’t even be close in Illinois. If the situation isn’t hopeless there, I’d like to know where you see the hope.
The federal unemployment numbers unfairly depict what in reality is a robust state economy. If the fed numbers included car theft, burglary and other property crimes as job categories, Illinois would become a “go to” state.
Right now it’s a “leave from” state, as fast as possible.
Surprised nobody said carnival barkers yet.
Five years from now I expect Illinois taxes will be at least 10% higher than today (after adjusting for inflation). This will cause a widening gap in home values of at least another 10%, and quite possibly much more when comparing blue and red states. If you are smart enough to understand the WP graphs/charts/data, you are smart enough to create a spreadsheet to figure out how much of a premium you will be paying each year to reside in the land of Lincoln. Take into consideration you basically get nothing of value for that premium. The Illinois services/infrastructure is… Read more »
Nothing people like better than to have old relatives lecture them about their politics at holiday gatherings. Always a crowd pleaser.
I think the key is not to argue politics, but the data and its trendlines. I agree the holidays are likely not the best time to do it.
You really just have to make your decision with the adults who live in your house (and any others nearby you literally help take care of, like homebound elderly parents). Then just announce you’re leaving. I did. I didn’t want my relatives who stayed to feel like I was criticizing them, I just voted with my feet. I didn’t try to convince anybody, or give them all my reasons. No reason to mar the holiday, but you’ll feel the energy of knowing it’s your last. Let them conclude as they like.
Just another important metric for Pritzker to deny or ignore.