States · Illinois

Illinois Economy — Live Data

Tracking the Illinois economy: unemployment at 5.1% (above the national rate of 4.2%), plus job growth, home prices, and income — all sourced from the Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics, in plain English.

Unemployment Rate
5.1%
▲ Above US average (4.2%)
Nonfarm Jobs
6.16M
▼ -0.0% jobs YoY
House Prices (YoY)
+5.8%
▲ Rising fast
Per-Capita Income
$78K
▲ +4.3% vs prior year
Illinois vs. United States — Unemployment
Illinois
5.1%
United States
4.2%

Illinois is running above the national unemployment rate. At 5.1% vs 4.2% nationally, local job seekers face a somewhat tougher market than the US average.

Jobs & Output
Nonfarm payrolls
6.16M
Job growth (YoY)
-0.0%
Real GDP (2025)
$914B
GDP growth (YoY)
+1.6%

Payrolls are monthly (BLS); GDP and income are annual (BEA). Key sectors in Illinois: finance, manufacturing, and transportation.

What this means if you live or work in Illinois
💼
Job market
With unemployment at or above the national average, hiring in Illinois is more employer-friendly — job seekers should expect more competition per opening.
🏠
Housing
House prices are rising fast (+5.8% YoY). Buyers face affordability pressure; owners are building equity quickly.
💵
Income
Per-capita personal income in Illinois is $77,772, up 4.3% from the prior year. Compare against national inflation to gauge real purchasing power.
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Key industries
Illinois's economy leans on finance, manufacturing, and transportation — sector-specific national trends (energy prices, rates, consumer spending) hit this state through those channels first.
Key Numbers — Illinois
Unemployment5.1%
US unemployment4.2%
Nonfarm jobs6.16M
House prices YoY+5.8%
Per-capita income$77,772
Real GDP$914B
Labor data as ofMay 2026
Nearby States
Indiana economy → Wisconsin economy → Missouri economy → Iowa economy → All 50 states →
National Data
US labor market → US housing data → US inflation → Full dashboard →

Data: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis) — series ILUR, ILNA, ILSTHPI, ILPCPI, ILRGSP — plus BLS and BEA. Live values load on page open; figures shown are the most recent official releases. Not financial advice.