The local unemployment percentage has dipped below the 8 percent mark for the 3rd time since the economic downturn in 2008. Numbers released for November by the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows the Peoria Metro area now at 7.9 percent. June was also 7.9 percent. The jobless percentage dropped to 7.2 percent in January. November's numbers are a four tenths of a percent improvement over October.
Over the year, the jobless rate has dropped one percent. IDES spokesman Norm Kelewitz says things are continuing to improve step by step in the Peora MSA. He says outsideof the Chcago Metro area, Peoria added the most jobs downstate over the year with 7,600 position added.Even though over the year jobs are up significantly, 200 jobs were lost in the Peoria region between October and November.
