Illinois is still missing 77,000 jobs from its restaurants, bars, hotels and other leisure industries since COVID-19 shutdowns. That Illinois jobs sector has recovered only 72% of what it lost in the pandemic – one of the nation’s worst recoveries.
Illinois’ employment recovery continued in February, but the state is still missing 21% of the jobs it lost in early 2020
Illinois’ record population decline affeced nearly all counties in 2021.
Illinois’ record population decline affected virtually all of the state’s largest cities.
Bloomington is the only metro area to recover jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic and statewide mandated shutdowns. Illinois is still missing 200,100 jobs as of January 2020.
Although Hispanics were one of the groups hardest hit by pandemic-related job losses, 85,000 more Hispanic Illinoisans were employed in December 2021 compared to December 2019. Hispanic women are driving their recovery.
Illinois’ employment recovery continued in January, but the state remains far from a full recovery and still lags the nation.
Black workers in Illinois face much higher unemployment rates than other Black workers in the nation and than their white peers in Illinois. Investing in MAP grants rather than spending more on public pensions could make a difference.
Employment in nearly all of Illinois’ major industries are still lagging other states two years after the initial COVID-19 shutdowns rocked the economy.
Revisions show Illinois added 17,400 more jobs in 2021 than previously thought, but the state’s recovery still significantly lags the U.S. recovery rate.
Illinois reported the largest outmigration of residents of any state during 2021, marking the 8th consecutive year of population decline in Illinois. Chicago similarly saw more residents move away than any metropolitan area in the nation.
During the past two years, about 80 Illinoisans shared how the COVID-19 pandemic was changing their lives, children’s educations and businesses. Here is how some of them have come through the pandemic, both those who thrived and those who lost.
"If I wouldn’t have done what I did I wouldn’t even be in business today.”
"“I’m trying to rebuild our bar business, but it’s been difficult to compete with neighboring towns that have fewer mandates, and there is more competition popping up in the area."