From press release

CHICAGO—For the 26th consecutive month, unemployment rates in all 12 Illinois metropolitan areas were above previous year’s levels in July, according to data released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).

Metro areas that reported the largest unemployment rate increases were: Peoria (plus 6.4 points, to 12.3 percent); Rockford (plus 6.1 points, to 15.1 percent); Decatur (plus 5.9 points, to 13.7 percent); and, Chicago-Naperville-Joliet (plus 3.8 points, to 10.7 percent).

Eleven of the 12 metro areas recorded their highest unemployment rate for July since the 1980s, two of which (Champaign and Lake-Kenosha) set all-time record highs for July.

Over the year, the total number of payroll jobs decreased in 11 of the 12 metropolitan areas. The largest percentage decreases in jobs were reported in Chicago-Naperville-Joliet (minus 4.7 percent, minus 184,500 jobs), Lake-Kenosha (minus 4.3 percent, minus 17,400 jobs) and Decatur (minus 4.0 percent, minus 2,200 job).

The unemployment rate for Illinois in July was 10.5 percent. The national figure was 9.7 percent.

July 2009 vs. July 2008 unemployment rates by metropolitan area:

Bloomington-Normal—7.2 percent vs. 5.5 percent in July 2008

Champaign-Urbana—8.3 percent vs. 6.3 percent in July 2008

Chicago-Naperville-Joliet—10.7 percent vs. 6.9 percent in July 2008

Danville—11.4 percent vs. 8.5 percent in July 2008

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island—7.7 percent vs. 5 percent in July 2008

Decatur—13.7 percent vs. 7.8 percent in July 2008

Kankakee-Bradley—11.7 percent vs. 8.6 percent in July 2008

Lake-Kenosha, Illinois-Wisconsin—9.5 percent vs. 6.4 percent in July 2008

Peoria—12.3 percent vs. 5.9 percent in July 2008

Rockford—15.1 percent vs. 9 percent in July 2008

Springfield—7.4 percent vs. 6.3 percent in July 2008

St. Louis (Illinois-section)—9.4 percent vs. 7.9 percent in July 2008

“These rates reflect ongoing challenges in the state and national economy,” IDES Director Maureen O’Donnell said. “Illinois’ experience is that it traditionally lags behind the national economy. The country felt the pain of this recession many months before it was felt in Illinois, and it is likely that the same pattern will hold true as the economy recovers.”

July 2009 vs. July 2008 total non-farm jobs by metropolitan area and total jobs lost:

Bloomington-Normal—89,500 vs. 89,900 in July 2008, a loss of 400 jobs

Champaign-Urbana—110,200 vs. 110,000 in July 2008, a gain of 200 jobs

Chicago-Naperville-Joliet Metro Division—3,697,500 vs. 3,881,000 in July 2008, a loss of 183,500 jobs

Danville—30,100 vs. 30,800 in July 2008, a loss of 700 jobs

Davenport-Moline-Rock Island—188,500 vs. 191,200 in July 2008, a loss of 2,700 jobs

Decatur—53,000 vs. 55,200 in July 2008, a loss of 2,200

Kankakee-Bradley—42,800 vs. 44,400 in July 2008, a loss of 1,600 jobs

Lake County-Kenosha County Metro Division—390,700 vs. 408,100 in July 2008, a loss of 17,400 jobs

Peoria—184,400 vs. 190,000 in July 2008, a loss of 5,600 jobs

Rockford—153,600 vs. 158,700 in July 2008, a loss of 5,100 jobs

Springfield—109,800 vs. 112,900 in July 2008, a loss of 3,100 jobs

Illinois Section of St. Louis—239,700 vs. 243,300 in July 2008, a loss of 3,600 jobs.