Unemployment Drops Across Illinois; Ogle, Lee and DeKalb Counties See Notable Declines

ROCHELLE – Unemployment rates fell across all 12 Illinois metropolitan areas in May compared to a year ago, with the statewide rate dropping to 4.4%, down from 4.8%, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Ogle County saw a one-point drop to 3.7%, while Lee and DeKalb counties both reported decreases of 0.9 points, to 3.9% and 3.5%, respectively. The lowest metro rate was in Bloomington at 3.1%, while Decatur had the highest at 5%. Illinois’ statewide rate remains slightly above the national average of 4.2%.