Illinois Unemployment Rate — 5.4% Average Ranks 3rd Highest in US - The Korea Daily

Since Governor J.B. Pritzker took office, the Illinois unemployment rate has averaged 5.4%, ranking as the third highest in the nation according to a recent analysis. This finding comes from a study by the non-profit think tank, the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI), which analyzed U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data from January 2019 through July 2026. According to the report, Nevada recorded the highest average unemployment rate at 6.4%, followed by California at 5.9%. Illinois tied with Michigan for the third-highest rate in the country at 5.4%. High unemployment rates during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the average figures for this period. When Governor Pritzker first took office, the unemployment rate in Illinois stood at 4.