The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced on May 28 that the state’s unemployment rate held steady at 5.1 percent in April, unchanged from March and up by 0.6 percentage points compared to the same month last year, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The revised March unemployment rate was also reported as 5.1 percent.
According to the department’s April 2026 report, several key economic sectors experienced job losses over the past year in Illinois. Professional and business services lost 14,300 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities declined by 9,900 jobs; financial activities dropped by 6,900 jobs; and manufacturing saw a decrease of 4,400 jobs.
At a rate of 5.1 percent, Illinois’ unemployment is now higher than both its level one year ago (4.5 percent) and the current national average (4.3 percent). The report notes that four sectors driving job growth elsewhere are not contributing to employment gains in Illinois.
State Representative Mike Coffey said Illinois needs to do more to create long-term jobs and ensure residents have opportunities for job security. “There’s no reason the state of Illinois should have a 5.1% unemployment rate,” Coffey said. “The policies we enact either have a positive or negative impact, and I think lawmakers need to re-evaluate current legislation. We have the resources to let businesses and workers thrive, but we need less regulations and more opportunities.”
Coffey was elected as a Republican representative for Illinois’ 95th House District in 2023 after replacing previous state representative Tim Butler, according to RepCoffey.com.
