ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The Metro East has recorded its lowest unemployment rate on record.
In December the rate hit 3.7%, that's down from 5.1% in December of 2018. The 1.4% decline was second in the state, only to the 1.5% drop in the Carbondale-Marion area.
Employment Security Department Spokesperson Rebecca Cisco tells KMOX the east side had 3,000 more non-farm jobs last month as compared to the year before. She says the most employment growth was in transportation, warehouse and utilities.
All of Illinois' 14 metro areas saw a drop in unemployment last month.
Statewide, the 3.5% unemployment rate – and 6.2 million total non-farm jobs – are new records.