Illinois Payroll Jobs Increase Again in June While Unemployment Holds Steady

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois added 1,500 nonfarm payroll jobs in June, marking the fourth straight month of job growth, while the state’s unemployment rate held steady at 5.1 percent, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and private education and health services posted the largest monthly job gains. Trade, transportation and utilities, information, and financial activities recorded the biggest losses. Compared with June 2025, Illinois gained 9,200 payroll jobs, led by private education and health services, construction, and leisure and hospitality. The state reported 329,700 unemployed workers in June, down 2 percent from May but up 16.1 percent from a year earlier.