Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in Illinois

Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

East St. Louis, IL had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 225 cities in 2024, at 17.3%. Washington, IL had the lowest, at 1%. The median was 4.8% and the figure for Illinois was 5.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest17.3East St. Louis, IL
Lowest1Washington, IL
Median4.8225 cities
Illinois5.8History

Top 40 cities, 2024

East St. Louis, IL: 17.3 %East St. Louis, IL17.3Riverdale, IL: 16.1 %Riverdale, IL16.1Blue Island, IL: 15.5 %Blue Island, IL15.5Chicago Heights, IL: 14.6 %Chicago Heights, IL14.6Hazel Crest, IL: 14.3 %Hazel Crest, IL14.3Harvey, IL: 13.4 %Harvey, IL13.4Dolton, IL: 12.8 %Dolton, IL12.8Richton Park, IL: 11.9 %Richton Park, IL11.9South Holland, IL: 11.5 %South Holland, IL11.5Centralia, IL: 11.3 %Centralia, IL11.3Matteson, IL: 10.9 %Matteson, IL10.9Calumet City, IL: 10.6 %Calumet City, IL10.6Carbondale, IL: 10.4 %Carbondale, IL10.4Macomb, IL: 10.4 %Macomb, IL10.4DeKalb, IL: 10.3 %DeKalb, IL10.3Cahokia Heights, IL: 10 %Cahokia Heights, IL10North Chicago, IL: 9.9 %North Chicago, IL9.9Lansing, IL: 9.8 %Lansing, IL9.8West Chicago, IL: 9.5 %West Chicago, IL9.5Country Club Hills, IL: 9.2 %Country Club Hills, IL9.2Kewanee, IL: 8.9 %Kewanee, IL8.9Alsip, IL: 8.9 %Alsip, IL8.9Markham, IL: 8.7 %Markham, IL8.7Park Forest, IL: 8.7 %Park Forest, IL8.7Worth, IL: 8.5 %Worth, IL8.5Rockford, IL: 8.5 %Rockford, IL8.5Beach Park, IL: 8.4 %Beach Park, IL8.4Decatur, IL: 8.3 %Decatur, IL8.3Danville, IL: 8.3 %Danville, IL8.3Crestwood, IL: 8.2 %Crestwood, IL8.2Antioch, IL: 8.2 %Antioch, IL8.2Homewood, IL: 8.1 %Homewood, IL8.1River Forest, IL: 8.1 %River Forest, IL8.1Norridge, IL: 8 %Norridge, IL8Chicago, IL: 8 %Chicago, IL8Streator, IL: 7.9 %Streator, IL7.9Lincolnwood, IL: 7.8 %Lincolnwood, IL7.8Maywood, IL: 7.7 %Maywood, IL7.7Kankakee, IL: 7.6 %Kankakee, IL7.6Round Lake Beach, IL: 7.6 %Round Lake Beach, IL7.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024 (%)Change on 2023
1East St. Louis, IL17.3+2 pts
2Riverdale, IL16.1+2 pts
3Blue Island, IL15.5+3.8 pts
4Chicago Heights, IL14.6+1.9 pts
5Hazel Crest, IL14.3-0.3 pts
6Harvey, IL13.4+0.5 pts
7Dolton, IL12.8+1.9 pts
8Richton Park, IL11.9-0.1 pts
9South Holland, IL11.5+1.4 pts
10Centralia, IL11.3+0.6 pts
11Matteson, IL10.9+0.3 pts
12Calumet City, IL10.6+1.2 pts
13Carbondale, IL10.4+1.1 pts
14Macomb, IL10.4-1.7 pts
15DeKalb, IL10.3-0.3 pts
16Cahokia Heights, IL10+0.7 pts
17North Chicago, IL9.9+1.2 pts
18Lansing, IL9.80 pts
19West Chicago, IL9.5-0.7 pts
20Country Club Hills, IL9.2+1.3 pts
21Kewanee, IL8.9+2.5 pts
22Alsip, IL8.9+1.2 pts
23Markham, IL8.7-1.7 pts
24Park Forest, IL8.7+1.5 pts
25Worth, IL8.5-2.9 pts
26Rockford, IL8.5-0.1 pts
27Beach Park, IL8.4-0.5 pts
28Decatur, IL8.3-0.6 pts
29Danville, IL8.3-0.6 pts
30Crestwood, IL8.2+0.6 pts
31Antioch, IL8.2+0.6 pts
32Homewood, IL8.1+1 pts
33River Forest, IL8.1+1.2 pts
34Norridge, IL8+0.5 pts
35Chicago, IL8+0.1 pts
36Streator, IL7.9-0.1 pts
37Lincolnwood, IL7.8+1.7 pts
38Maywood, IL7.7-0.1 pts
39Kankakee, IL7.6+0.4 pts
40Round Lake Beach, IL7.6+0.2 pts
41Bridgeview, IL7.6-1 pts
42Peoria, IL7.5-0.3 pts
43Channahon, IL7.4+0.3 pts
44Canton, IL7.2+0.1 pts
45Machesney Park, IL7.2+0.8 pts
46Burbank, IL7.1-0.6 pts
47Belvidere, IL7.1-0 pts
48Berwyn, IL6.9+0.6 pts
49Ottawa, IL6.9+0.5 pts
50Moline, IL6.9+0.3 pts
51Roselle, IL6.8-0.9 pts
52Springfield, IL6.80 pts
53Justice, IL6.7+0.4 pts
54Niles, IL6.7+0.1 pts
55Lindenhurst, IL6.7+0.3 pts
56Zion, IL6.7-0 pts
57Shorewood, IL6.6+1.6 pts
58Mattoon, IL6.5-2.2 pts
59Fairview Heights, IL6.4+0.1 pts
59Waukegan, IL6.4+1 pts
61Mount Vernon, IL6.4-1.8 pts
62Bellwood, IL6.3-1.3 pts
63Loves Park, IL6.3-1.5 pts
64Rock Island, IL6.3-0.2 pts
65Evanston, IL6.2-0.1 pts
66Pekin, IL6.2-0.6 pts
67Franklin Park, IL6.1+1.1 pts
68Bourbonnais, IL6.1+0.1 pts
68Charleston, IL6.1+0.3 pts
68Elgin, IL6.1-0.2 pts
71Hickory Hills, IL6.1+1.3 pts
72Belleville, IL6.1+0.7 pts
73Round Lake, IL6.1-0.4 pts
74Glendale Heights, IL6+0.8 pts
75Tinley Park, IL6-0.1 pts
76Herrin, IL5.9+0.8 pts
77Elmwood Park, IL5.9-0.9 pts
77Evergreen Park, IL5.9+1.1 pts
79Lake in the Hills, IL5.9-0.4 pts
79River Grove, IL5.9+1.8 pts
81Carpentersville, IL5.9-0.4 pts
82Aurora, IL5.8-0.1 pts
83Swansea, IL5.7+0.9 pts
84Bolingbrook, IL5.7+0.7 pts
84Granite City, IL5.7-0.7 pts
86Melrose Park, IL5.7+0.2 pts
87Northlake, IL5.7+1.2 pts
88Winfield, IL5.6+0.7 pts
89Bensenville, IL5.6+1 pts
90Oak Park, IL5.6+0.1 pts
91Summit, IL5.6-1.4 pts
92North Aurora, IL5.5-0.4 pts
93Crest Hill, IL5.5+0.1 pts
94Chicago Ridge, IL5.5+0.8 pts
95Joliet, IL5.5-0.3 pts
96Grayslake, IL5.4-0.2 pts
97Oak Lawn, IL5.4+0.3 pts
98Oak Forest, IL5.4+0.2 pts
99Alton, IL5.4+0.3 pts
100Glen Ellyn, IL5.3-0.5 pts
100Midlothian, IL5.3+1.2 pts
102Westchester, IL5.2-0.2 pts
103Dixon, IL5.2+2.8 pts
104Skokie, IL5.2-0.1 pts
105Jacksonville, IL5.1-1.7 pts
106Romeoville, IL5.1+0.3 pts
107Cary, IL5-0.1 pts
108Campton Hills, IL5-0.9 pts
108Hanover Park, IL5+0.4 pts
110Galesburg, IL5+0.3 pts
111Cicero, IL5+0.6 pts
112Wauconda, IL4.9+1.2 pts
113Orland Park, IL4.8+0.2 pts
114Champaign, IL4.8+0.5 pts
114Plano, IL4.80 pts
116Gurnee, IL4.8+1 pts
117Wheeling, IL4.8+0.4 pts
118Lockport, IL4.7-0.2 pts
118Urbana, IL4.7-1 pts
120Collinsville, IL4.7+0.2 pts
121Addison, IL4.7+0.3 pts
122Quincy, IL4.7+0.5 pts
122Villa Park, IL4.7+0.5 pts
124Lyons, IL4.6+0.3 pts
125Bloomingdale, IL4.6+0.1 pts
125Godfrey, IL4.6+1.1 pts
125Homer Glen, IL4.6-0.4 pts
128Edwardsville, IL4.6-0.1 pts
129Lemont, IL4.6+0.2 pts
130Naperville, IL4.5+0.3 pts
131Freeport, IL4.5-1 pts
132Forest Park, IL4.5-0.6 pts
133Lombard, IL4.4-0.2 pts
134Morton Grove, IL4.4+0.5 pts
135Glen Carbon, IL4.4+0.3 pts
136Elmhurst, IL4.3-0.5 pts
137Crystal Lake, IL4.2-0.4 pts
137Minooka, IL4.2-0.2 pts
137Woodridge, IL4.2-0 pts
140Pontiac, IL4.2+0.1 pts
140Wilmette, IL4.2-0.1 pts
142Fox Lake, IL4.2-0.3 pts
143Park Ridge, IL4.2+0.5 pts
144Hoffman Estates, IL4.2+0.6 pts
144Lisle, IL4.2+0.1 pts
146Algonquin, IL4.1-0.2 pts
146St. Charles, IL4.1-0.4 pts
148Des Plaines, IL4.1-0.5 pts
148Mokena, IL4.1+0.4 pts
150Palos Hills, IL4.1-0.3 pts
151Elk Grove Village, IL4.1-0.3 pts
152Frankfort, IL4.1+0.5 pts
153Palatine, IL4.1-0.3 pts
154Downers Grove, IL4+0.1 pts
155Westmont, IL4+0.1 pts
155Wood Dale, IL4-0.9 pts
157Carol Stream, IL3.9-0.3 pts
158Normal, IL3.9-0.3 pts
159Rolling Meadows, IL3.9-0.7 pts
160Darien, IL3.9-0.1 pts
161Mount Prospect, IL3.8+0.3 pts
162Sterling, IL3.8-1 pts
163Plainfield, IL3.8+0.1 pts
164Wheaton, IL3.7+0.3 pts
165O'Fallon, IL3.7+0.4 pts
165Pingree Grove, IL3.7-0.2 pts
167Warrenville, IL3.7+0.2 pts
168Chatham, IL3.6+0.2 pts
169McHenry, IL3.6+0.1 pts
170Yorkville, IL3.6-0.2 pts
171Huntley, IL3.6+0.1 pts
171Palos Heights, IL3.60 pts
173Marion, IL3.6-0.5 pts
173Taylorville, IL3.6-1.2 pts
175Mahomet, IL3.5+0.1 pts
176Prospect Heights, IL3.5-0.9 pts
177Arlington Heights, IL3.5-0.1 pts
177Schaumburg, IL3.5-0.1 pts
179Roscoe, IL3.5+0.3 pts
180East Moline, IL3.4-0.2 pts
181Burr Ridge, IL3.4-0.2 pts
181Winnetka, IL3.4+1.1 pts
183Glenview, IL3.40 pts
184Schiller Park, IL3.4+0.3 pts
184Streamwood, IL3.4-0.6 pts
186Montgomery, IL3.4-0.2 pts
187La Grange Park, IL3.3+0.1 pts
188Woodstock, IL3.3-0.7 pts
189Brookfield, IL3.3-0.2 pts
190East Peoria, IL3.3-0.2 pts
191Highland Park, IL3.2-0.1 pts
192Hinsdale, IL3.2+0.5 pts
192Northbrook, IL3.2-0 pts
194Rantoul, IL3.2-0.4 pts
195Vernon Hills, IL3.2-0.6 pts
196Lake Zurich, IL3.2-0.1 pts
197South Elgin, IL3.1+0.4 pts
198Western Springs, IL3.1+0.5 pts
199Troy, IL3.1+0.6 pts
200Sycamore, IL3-0.7 pts
201New Lenox, IL2.9+0.1 pts
202Bradley, IL2.9-0.9 pts
203Morris, IL2.9-0.4 pts
204Wood River, IL2.9-2.1 pts
205Libertyville, IL2.9-0 pts
205Lincoln, IL2.9-1.3 pts
207Barrington, IL2.8-0.6 pts
208Morton, IL2.8+0.1 pts
209Bloomington, IL2.8+0.2 pts
210Buffalo Grove, IL2.7+0.3 pts
211Deerfield, IL2.7+0.3 pts
212Mundelein, IL2.7-0.5 pts
213Oswego, IL2.6-0.1 pts
214Bartlett, IL2.6+0.6 pts
215Effingham, IL2.6+0.4 pts
216Batavia, IL2.5-1 pts
217Waterloo, IL2.3-1.1 pts
218La Grange, IL2.2+0.2 pts
219Geneva, IL1.8+0.1 pts
220Lake Forest, IL1.8-0.3 pts
221Shiloh, IL1.7-0.2 pts
222Manhattan, IL1.5-0 pts
223Columbia, IL1.5+0.5 pts
224Highland, IL1-1.1 pts
225Washington, IL1-0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which city has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

East St. Louis, IL, with 17.3% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Washington, IL, with 1% in 2024.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in Illinois: more rankings