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

Counties in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Alexander County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 102 counties in 2023, at 9.5%. Monroe County had the lowest, at 2.1%. The median was 4.6% and the figure for Illinois was 5.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest9.5Alexander County
Lowest2.1Monroe County
Median4.6102 counties
Illinois5.8History

Map of counties, 2023

Adams County: 3.6 %Alexander County: 9.5 %Bond County: 4.3 %Boone County: 7.8 %Brown County: 2.2 %Bureau County: 5 %Calhoun County: 3.7 %Carroll County: 4.3 %Cass County: 5 %Champaign County: 4.5 %Christian County: 4.7 %Clark County: 4 %Clay County: 5.9 %Clinton County: 3.3 %Coles County: 6.8 %Cook County: 6.9 %Crawford County: 4 %Cumberland County: 2.4 %DeKalb County: 7.1 %De Witt County: 4.8 %Douglas County: 3.1 %DuPage County: 4.8 %Edgar County: 4.4 %Edwards County: 6.1 %Effingham County: 2.2 %Fayette County: 3.4 %Ford County: 5.4 %Franklin County: 6.5 %Fulton County: 6.6 %Gallatin County: 7.3 %Greene County: 4.2 %Grundy County: 4.5 %Hamilton County: 5.4 %Hancock County: 4.4 %Hardin County: 3.3 %Henderson County: 8.6 %Henry County: 4 %Iroquois County: 4.8 %Jackson County: 7.2 %Jasper County: 3.7 %Jefferson County: 6.6 %Jersey County: 4.4 %Jo Daviess County: 3 %Johnson County: 2.5 %Kane County: 5 %Kankakee County: 5.1 %Kendall County: 3.6 %Knox County: 4.5 %Lake County: 5.1 %LaSalle County: 5.7 %Lawrence County: 7.9 %Lee County: 3.6 %Livingston County: 3.6 %Logan County: 4.4 %McDonough County: 8.6 %McHenry County: 4.7 %McLean County: 3 %Macon County: 7.1 %Macoupin County: 4.4 %Madison County: 4.7 %Marion County: 6.4 %Marshall County: 4.7 %Mason County: 6.1 %Massac County: 3.4 %Menard County: 3.9 %Mercer County: 3.1 %Monroe County: 2.1 %Montgomery County: 5.8 %Morgan County: 5.6 %Moultrie County: 2.6 %Ogle County: 5.4 %Peoria County: 6.5 %Perry County: 5.1 %Piatt County: 3.3 %Pike County: 4.6 %Pope County: 3 %Pulaski County: 2.4 %Putnam County: 3.4 %Randolph County: 5.1 %Richland County: 4.2 %Rock Island County: 5.7 %St. Clair County: 5.7 %Saline County: 5.9 %Sangamon County: 5.5 %Schuyler County: 6.2 %Scott County: 2.6 %Shelby County: 3 %Stark County: 3.1 %Stephenson County: 4.7 %Tazewell County: 3.9 %Union County: 5.2 %Vermilion County: 6.4 %Wabash County: 4.5 %Warren County: 5.2 %Washington County: 4.1 %Wayne County: 3.4 %White County: 4 %Whiteside County: 4.6 %Will County: 4.9 %Williamson County: 4.3 %Winnebago County: 7.2 %Woodford County: 3 %
  • Under 3.3
  • 3.3 to 4
  • 4 to 4.6
  • 4.6 to 5.1
  • 5.1 to 6.4
  • 6.4 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Alexander County: 9.5 %Alexander County9.5Henderson County: 8.6 %Henderson County8.6McDonough County: 8.6 %McDonough County8.6Lawrence County: 7.9 %Lawrence County7.9Boone County: 7.8 %Boone County7.8Gallatin County: 7.3 %Gallatin County7.3Winnebago County: 7.2 %Winnebago County7.2Jackson County: 7.2 %Jackson County7.2Macon County: 7.1 %Macon County7.1DeKalb County: 7.1 %DeKalb County7.1Cook County: 6.9 %Cook County6.9Coles County: 6.8 %Coles County6.8Fulton County: 6.6 %Fulton County6.6Jefferson County: 6.6 %Jefferson County6.6Peoria County: 6.5 %Peoria County6.5Franklin County: 6.5 %Franklin County6.5Marion County: 6.4 %Marion County6.4Vermilion County: 6.4 %Vermilion County6.4Schuyler County: 6.2 %Schuyler County6.2Mason County: 6.1 %Mason County6.1Edwards County: 6.1 %Edwards County6.1Clay County: 5.9 %Clay County5.9Saline County: 5.9 %Saline County5.9Montgomery County: 5.8 %Montgomery County5.8Rock Island County: 5.7 %Rock Island County5.7LaSalle County: 5.7 %LaSalle County5.7St. Clair County: 5.7 %St. Clair County5.7Morgan County: 5.6 %Morgan County5.6Sangamon County: 5.5 %Sangamon County5.5Ford County: 5.4 %Ford County5.4Hamilton County: 5.4 %Hamilton County5.4Ogle County: 5.4 %Ogle County5.4Union County: 5.2 %Union County5.2Warren County: 5.2 %Warren County5.2Randolph County: 5.1 %Randolph County5.1Kankakee County: 5.1 %Kankakee County5.1Lake County: 5.1 %Lake County5.1Perry County: 5.1 %Perry County5.1Kane County: 5 %Kane County5Bureau County: 5 %Bureau County5Alexander County: 9.5 %Alexander County9.5Henderson County: 8.6 %Henderson County8.6McDonough County: 8.6 %McDonough County8.6Lawrence County: 7.9 %Lawrence County7.9Boone County: 7.8 %Boone County7.8Gallatin County: 7.3 %Gallatin County7.3Winnebago County: 7.2 %Winnebago County7.2Jackson County: 7.2 %Jackson County7.2Macon County: 7.1 %Macon County7.1DeKalb County: 7.1 %DeKalb County7.1Cook County: 6.9 %Cook County6.9Coles County: 6.8 %Coles County6.8Fulton County: 6.6 %Fulton County6.6Jefferson County: 6.6 %Jefferson County6.6Peoria County: 6.5 %Peoria County6.5Franklin County: 6.5 %Franklin County6.5Marion County: 6.4 %Marion County6.4Vermilion County: 6.4 %Vermilion County6.4Schuyler County: 6.2 %Schuyler County6.2Mason County: 6.1 %Mason County6.1Edwards County: 6.1 %Edwards County6.1Clay County: 5.9 %Clay County5.9Saline County: 5.9 %Saline County5.9Montgomery County: 5.8 %Montgomery County5.8Rock Island County: 5.7 %Rock Island County5.7LaSalle County: 5.7 %LaSalle County5.7St. Clair County: 5.7 %St. Clair County5.7Morgan County: 5.6 %Morgan County5.6Sangamon County: 5.5 %Sangamon County5.5Ford County: 5.4 %Ford County5.4Hamilton County: 5.4 %Hamilton County5.4Ogle County: 5.4 %Ogle County5.4Union County: 5.2 %Union County5.2Warren County: 5.2 %Warren County5.2Randolph County: 5.1 %Randolph County5.1Kankakee County: 5.1 %Kankakee County5.1Lake County: 5.1 %Lake County5.1Perry County: 5.1 %Perry County5.1Kane County: 5 %Kane County5Bureau County: 5 %Bureau County5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Alexander County9.5+0.1 pts
2Henderson County8.6+0.7 pts
2McDonough County8.6+0.6 pts
4Lawrence County7.9+0.1 pts
5Boone County7.8+0.1 pts
6Gallatin County7.3-0.4 pts
7Winnebago County7.2-0.3 pts
8Jackson County7.2-0.9 pts
9Macon County7.1-0.1 pts
10DeKalb County7.1+0.1 pts
11Cook County6.9-0.2 pts
12Coles County6.8-0.1 pts
13Fulton County6.6-0.2 pts
14Jefferson County6.6+0.1 pts
15Peoria County6.5-0.1 pts
16Franklin County6.5-0.2 pts
17Marion County6.4-1.7 pts
18Vermilion County6.4-0.3 pts
19Schuyler County6.2-0.5 pts
20Mason County6.1+0.9 pts
21Edwards County6.1-0.7 pts
22Clay County5.9-0.2 pts
22Saline County5.9-0 pts
24Montgomery County5.8+0.3 pts
25Rock Island County5.7-0.5 pts
26LaSalle County5.7+0.2 pts
26St. Clair County5.7-0 pts
28Morgan County5.6-0.8 pts
29Sangamon County5.5+0.3 pts
30Ford County5.4+0.7 pts
31Hamilton County5.4+0.9 pts
32Ogle County5.4-0.7 pts
33Union County5.2-1.1 pts
34Warren County5.2-2.1 pts
35Randolph County5.1-0.1 pts
36Kankakee County5.1-0.2 pts
36Lake County5.1+0.1 pts
38Perry County5.1-1 pts
39Kane County5-0 pts
40Bureau County5-0.7 pts
41Cass County5-0.4 pts
42Will County4.9-0.2 pts
43De Witt County4.8-0.6 pts
44DuPage County4.8+0.1 pts
45Iroquois County4.8-0.2 pts
46Madison County4.7-0.5 pts
47Stephenson County4.7-0.6 pts
48Christian County4.7+0.3 pts
48Marshall County4.7+0.5 pts
50McHenry County4.7-0.2 pts
51Pike County4.6-0.1 pts
52Whiteside County4.6+0.2 pts
53Knox County4.5-0.4 pts
54Champaign County4.5-0.3 pts
54Grundy County4.5+0.3 pts
56Wabash County4.5+0.1 pts
57Edgar County4.4-0.1 pts
57Hancock County4.4-0.3 pts
59Logan County4.4-0.8 pts
60Jersey County4.4+1 pts
61Macoupin County4.4-0.2 pts
62Bond County4.30 pts
63Williamson County4.3-0 pts
64Carroll County4.3-0.6 pts
65Richland County4.2-0 pts
66Greene County4.2+0.7 pts
67Washington County4.1-0.6 pts
68Crawford County4+0.6 pts
68White County4+0.5 pts
70Clark County4-0 pts
70Henry County4-0.5 pts
72Tazewell County3.9-0 pts
73Menard County3.9-1.1 pts
74Calhoun County3.7-0.3 pts
75Jasper County3.7-1.2 pts
76Kendall County3.6-0.6 pts
76Lee County3.6+0.2 pts
78Livingston County3.6-0.1 pts
79Adams County3.6-0.3 pts
80Putnam County3.4+0.3 pts
81Massac County3.4-0.3 pts
82Fayette County3.4-0.5 pts
83Wayne County3.4-0.3 pts
84Piatt County3.3-1.3 pts
85Hardin County3.3+0.7 pts
86Clinton County3.3+0.3 pts
87Douglas County3.1+0.1 pts
88Stark County3.1-0.2 pts
89Mercer County3.1-0.2 pts
90Shelby County3-0.9 pts
91McLean County3-0.2 pts
91Woodford County3-0.3 pts
93Pope County3-6.1 pts
94Jo Daviess County3+0.2 pts
95Scott County2.6-0.2 pts
96Moultrie County2.6-1.5 pts
97Johnson County2.5-0.5 pts
98Pulaski County2.4-1.8 pts
99Cumberland County2.4+0.5 pts
100Effingham County2.2-0.2 pts
101Brown County2.2+0.1 pts
102Monroe County2.1+0.4 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 counties 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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 (Counties in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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, Counties in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2023. 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. Counties in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2023.

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, Counties in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_illinois_by_2023,
  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: Counties in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2023. 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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: Counties in Illinois by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2023.
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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Alexander County, with 9.5% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Monroe County, with 2.1% in 2023.

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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in Illinois: more rankings