April unemployment rate drops to 5.8 percent in Rockford Region

ROCKFORD, May 28 — The Rockford metro area’s unemployment rate for April 2015 was 5.8 percent, down 2.4 percentage points from the same time a year ago and 1 percentage point from the previous month.

Also, April was the 14th month in a row that unemployment rates fell in every metro area in the state compared to a year ago, according to preliminary data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).

“Metro areas in northern Illinois posted strong job gains, while most downstate areas lost ground,” IDES Director Jeff Mays said.

The last time the April rate was equal to or lower was in 2007 when it was 5.1 percent. The last time the unemployment rate, for any month, was equal to or lower than the April 2015 unemployment rate of 5.8 percent was in September 2007 (5.7 percent).

See the IDES news release page here.

See the Rockford Register Star story here.