Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Cities in Illinois

Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate, August 2026

Dolton, IL had the highest unemployment rate of 104 cities in August 2026, at 11.1%. Quincy, IL had the lowest, at 3.1%. The median was 4.7% and the figure for Illinois was 4.7%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest11.1Dolton, IL
Lowest3.1Quincy, IL
Median4.7104 cities
Illinois4.7History

Top 40 cities, August 2026

Dolton, IL: 11.1 %Dolton, IL11.1Maywood, IL: 9.5 %Maywood, IL9.5Calumet City, IL: 8.4 %Calumet City, IL8.4Harvey, IL: 8.4 %Harvey, IL8.4Park Forest, IL: 8.4 %Park Forest, IL8.4Chicago Heights, IL: 7.6 %Chicago Heights, IL7.6Lansing, IL: 7.2 %Lansing, IL7.2East St. Louis, IL: 6.6 %East St. Louis, IL6.6Chicago, IL: 6 %Chicago, IL6Danville, IL: 5.8 %Danville, IL5.8Decatur, IL: 5.8 %Decatur, IL5.8Elmwood Park, IL: 5.7 %Elmwood Park, IL5.7Oak Park, IL: 5.7 %Oak Park, IL5.7Berwyn, IL: 5.6 %Berwyn, IL5.6Burbank, IL: 5.6 %Burbank, IL5.6Oak Lawn, IL: 5.5 %Oak Lawn, IL5.5Evanston, IL: 5.4 %Evanston, IL5.4Joliet, IL: 5.4 %Joliet, IL5.4Morton Grove, IL: 5.4 %Morton Grove, IL5.4Skokie, IL: 5.4 %Skokie, IL5.4Bolingbrook, IL: 5.3 %Bolingbrook, IL5.3Hanover Park, IL: 5.3 %Hanover Park, IL5.3Rockford, IL: 5.3 %Rockford, IL5.3Streamwood, IL: 5.3 %Streamwood, IL5.3Niles, IL: 5.2 %Niles, IL5.2Tinley Park, IL: 5.2 %Tinley Park, IL5.2Westmont, IL: 5.2 %Westmont, IL5.2Carbondale, IL: 5.1 %Carbondale, IL5.1Kankakee, IL: 5.1 %Kankakee, IL5.1Romeoville, IL: 5.1 %Romeoville, IL5.1Wilmette, IL: 5.1 %Wilmette, IL5.1Des Plaines, IL: 5 %Des Plaines, IL5Lake in the Hills, IL: 5 %Lake in the Hills, IL5Park Ridge, IL: 5 %Park Ridge, IL5Glenview, IL: 4.9 %Glenview, IL4.9Hoffman Estates, IL: 4.9 %Hoffman Estates, IL4.9Homer Glen, IL: 4.9 %Homer Glen, IL4.9Melrose Park, IL: 4.9 %Melrose Park, IL4.9Naperville, IL: 4.9 %Naperville, IL4.9Schaumburg, IL: 4.9 %Schaumburg, IL4.9Dolton, IL: 11.1 %Dolton, IL11.1Maywood, IL: 9.5 %Maywood, IL9.5Calumet City, IL: 8.4 %Calumet City, IL8.4Harvey, IL: 8.4 %Harvey, IL8.4Park Forest, IL: 8.4 %Park Forest, IL8.4Chicago Heights, IL: 7.6 %Chicago Heights, IL7.6Lansing, IL: 7.2 %Lansing, IL7.2East St. Louis, IL: 6.6 %East St. Louis, IL6.6Chicago, IL: 6 %Chicago, IL6Danville, IL: 5.8 %Danville, IL5.8Decatur, IL: 5.8 %Decatur, IL5.8Elmwood Park, IL: 5.7 %Elmwood Park, IL5.7Oak Park, IL: 5.7 %Oak Park, IL5.7Berwyn, IL: 5.6 %Berwyn, IL5.6Burbank, IL: 5.6 %Burbank, IL5.6Oak Lawn, IL: 5.5 %Oak Lawn, IL5.5Evanston, IL: 5.4 %Evanston, IL5.4Joliet, IL: 5.4 %Joliet, IL5.4Morton Grove, IL: 5.4 %Morton Grove, IL5.4Skokie, IL: 5.4 %Skokie, IL5.4Bolingbrook, IL: 5.3 %Bolingbrook, IL5.3Hanover Park, IL: 5.3 %Hanover Park, IL5.3Rockford, IL: 5.3 %Rockford, IL5.3Streamwood, IL: 5.3 %Streamwood, IL5.3Niles, IL: 5.2 %Niles, IL5.2Tinley Park, IL: 5.2 %Tinley Park, IL5.2Westmont, IL: 5.2 %Westmont, IL5.2Carbondale, IL: 5.1 %Carbondale, IL5.1Kankakee, IL: 5.1 %Kankakee, IL5.1Romeoville, IL: 5.1 %Romeoville, IL5.1Wilmette, IL: 5.1 %Wilmette, IL5.1Des Plaines, IL: 5 %Des Plaines, IL5Lake in the Hills, IL: 5 %Lake in the Hills, IL5Park Ridge, IL: 5 %Park Ridge, IL5Glenview, IL: 4.9 %Glenview, IL4.9Hoffman Estates, IL: 4.9 %Hoffman Estates, IL4.9Homer Glen, IL: 4.9 %Homer Glen, IL4.9Melrose Park, IL: 4.9 %Melrose Park, IL4.9Naperville, IL: 4.9 %Naperville, IL4.9Schaumburg, IL: 4.9 %Schaumburg, IL4.9
%. Source: BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCitiesAugust 2026 (%)Change on August 2025
1Dolton, IL Provisional11.1+2.9 pts
2Maywood, IL Provisional9.5+1.7 pts
3Calumet City, IL Provisional8.4+2 pts
3Harvey, IL Provisional8.4+1.3 pts
3Park Forest, IL Provisional8.4+1.7 pts
6Chicago Heights, IL Provisional7.6+1.4 pts
7Lansing, IL Provisional7.2+1.3 pts
8East St. Louis, IL Provisional6.6-1.3 pts
9Chicago, IL Provisional6+1.1 pts
10Danville, IL Provisional5.8-1.3 pts
10Decatur, IL Provisional5.8-1.1 pts
12Elmwood Park, IL Provisional5.7+1.2 pts
12Oak Park, IL Provisional5.7+1.4 pts
14Berwyn, IL Provisional5.6+1.1 pts
14Burbank, IL Provisional5.6+1.2 pts
16Oak Lawn, IL Provisional5.5+0.9 pts
17Evanston, IL Provisional5.4+1 pts
17Joliet, IL Provisional5.4+0.7 pts
17Morton Grove, IL Provisional5.4+1.3 pts
17Skokie, IL Provisional5.4+1.1 pts
21Bolingbrook, IL Provisional5.3+1.1 pts
21Hanover Park, IL Provisional5.3+1.1 pts
21Rockford, IL Provisional5.3-1.1 pts
21Streamwood, IL Provisional5.3+1.3 pts
25Niles, IL Provisional5.2+1.1 pts
25Tinley Park, IL Provisional5.2+1.2 pts
25Westmont, IL Provisional5.2+0.9 pts
28Carbondale, IL Provisional5.1-0.8 pts
28Kankakee, IL Provisional5.1-1.9 pts
28Romeoville, IL Provisional5.1+0.8 pts
28Wilmette, IL Provisional5.1+1 pts
32Des Plaines, IL Provisional5+1.1 pts
32Lake in the Hills, IL Provisional5+1 pts
32Park Ridge, IL Provisional5+1.2 pts
35Glenview, IL Provisional4.9+1 pts
35Hoffman Estates, IL Provisional4.9+1.1 pts
35Homer Glen, IL Provisional4.9+1.1 pts
35Melrose Park, IL Provisional4.9+1 pts
35Naperville, IL Provisional4.9+0.9 pts
35Schaumburg, IL Provisional4.9+0.9 pts
41Arlington Heights, IL Provisional4.8+1.1 pts
41Cicero, IL Provisional4.8+0.8 pts
41Crystal Lake, IL Provisional4.8+1.2 pts
41Elk Grove Village, IL Provisional4.8+0.7 pts
41Galesburg, IL Provisional4.8-1.5 pts
41Huntley, IL Provisional4.8+0.6 pts
41Lombard, IL Provisional4.8+1.1 pts
41Northbrook, IL Provisional4.8+0.8 pts
41Oak Forest, IL Provisional4.8+0.5 pts
41Orland Park, IL Provisional4.8+0.7 pts
41Wheaton, IL Provisional4.8+1 pts
52Downers Grove, IL Provisional4.7+1 pts
52Elmhurst, IL Provisional4.7+0.9 pts
52Glen Ellyn, IL Provisional4.7+0.7 pts
52Palatine, IL Provisional4.7+1 pts
52Peoria, IL Provisional4.7-1 pts
57Alton, IL Provisional4.6-0.9 pts
57Aurora, IL Provisional4.6-0.1 pts
57Bartlett, IL Provisional4.6+1 pts
57Zion, IL Provisional4.6-1.1 pts
61Carol Stream, IL Provisional4.5+0.8 pts
61DeKalb, IL Provisional4.5-1 pts
61Glendale Heights, IL Provisional4.5+0.9 pts
61Lockport, IL Provisional4.5+0.8 pts
61McHenry, IL Provisional4.5+0.9 pts
61Mount Prospect, IL Provisional4.5+0.8 pts
61New Lenox, IL Provisional4.5+0.8 pts
61North Chicago, IL Provisional4.5-0.9 pts
61Plainfield, IL Provisional4.5+0.7 pts
70Addison, IL Provisional4.4+1.1 pts
70Freeport, IL Provisional4.4-0.7 pts
70Pekin, IL Provisional4.4-0.9 pts
70Wheeling, IL Provisional4.4+0.8 pts
70Woodridge, IL Provisional4.4+0.5 pts
70Woodstock, IL Provisional4.4+1 pts
76Algonquin, IL Provisional4.3+0.3 pts
76Belvidere, IL Provisional4.3-1.2 pts
76Springfield, IL Provisional4.3-0.9 pts
79Buffalo Grove, IL Provisional4.20 pts
79Elgin, IL Provisional4.2-0.5 pts
79Moline, IL Provisional4.2-1.2 pts
79Urbana, IL Provisional4.2-1 pts
79West Chicago, IL Provisional4.2+0.6 pts
84Belleville, IL Provisional4.1-1.2 pts
84Waukegan, IL Provisional4.1-0.7 pts
86Champaign, IL Provisional4-1 pts
86Granite City, IL Provisional4-1 pts
86Rock Island, IL Provisional4-1.5 pts
86Vernon Hills, IL Provisional4-0.6 pts
90Carpentersville, IL Provisional3.8-0.6 pts
90Gurnee, IL Provisional3.8-0.7 pts
90Yorkville, IL Provisional3.8-0.8 pts
93Collinsville, IL Provisional3.7-0.4 pts
93Highland Park, IL Provisional3.7-0.7 pts
93Oswego, IL Provisional3.7-0.7 pts
96Mundelein, IL Provisional3.6-0.4 pts
97Batavia, IL Provisional3.5-0.9 pts
97Normal, IL Provisional3.5-1 pts
97Round Lake Beach, IL Provisional3.5-1.3 pts
100Bloomington, IL Provisional3.4-0.9 pts
100St. Charles, IL Provisional3.4-1 pts
102Edwardsville, IL Provisional3.2-0.9 pts
102O'Fallon, IL Provisional3.2-1 pts
104Quincy, IL Provisional3.1-0.9 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, using the survey definition of unemployment: without work, available and looking for work.

More on how it is measured
  • Spain: EPA, aged 16 and over.
  • EU: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74.
  • United States: civilian labour force aged 16 and over, from the Current Population Survey for the nation and from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics models, consistent with that survey, for states, counties and cities.
  • United Kingdom regions: Labour Force Survey, aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted.
  • Canada: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the country and the provinces.
  • Australia: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the nation and the six states; the ABS publishes no seasonally adjusted series for the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
  • New Zealand: Household Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted for the country and not seasonally adjusted for regional council areas.
  • Norway: Statistics Norway Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted monthly figures.
  • Sweden: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted and smoothed (the series Statistics Sweden gives in its monthly release), national.
  • Switzerland: Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS), ILO definition, permanent resident population aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted quarterly averages, national.
  • For other countries, the source may be OECD survey-based rates, annual survey-based rates compiled by the ILO in ILOSTAT, or annual ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank.
  • ILO modelled estimates cover ages 15 and over.
  • The World series uses those ILO modelled estimates.

Survey-based for national and Eurostat series. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states, US counties, US cities (those of 25,000 or more and smaller New England cities), United Kingdom regions, Canadian provinces, Australia and its six states, New Zealand with 10 of its regions, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland (national), not Spanish municipalities. For Spanish municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate.

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. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. 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. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03) (Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate, 2026-08) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29

MLA 9

Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate, 2026-08. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30 Sept. 2026, https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/illinois-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate, 2026-08. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/illinois-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate, 2026-08 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/illinois-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_cities_in_illinois_by_2026,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate, 2026-08}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/illinois-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate, 2026-08
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/illinois-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/illinois-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Illinois by unemployment rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest unemployment rate?

Dolton, IL, with 11.1% in August 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate?

Quincy, IL, with 3.1% in August 2026.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

Cities in Illinois: more rankings