Illinois Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.7 Percent

The Illinois Department of Employment Security released employment information for August, showing that the state's unemployment rate decreased to 4.7 percent from July's revised rate of 4.9 percent.

This marks a two-tenths of a percent decrease in the unemployment rate compared to July and a four-tenths of a percent increase from the same time last year, according to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The number of unemployed persons in August was 306,800, down 2.8 percent from July, but up 8.1 percent from the same time last month.

Total nonfarm payroll jobs were up over 15,000 jobs compared to a year ago, with construction and private education and health services experiencing the highest job increases.