Mercer County’s unemployment rate is now at 4.0 percent. The number is for October and is the same figure from a year ago, according to data released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Henderson County’s unemployment rate has dropped to 3.2 percent. Warren County is at 3.7; Knox at 5.6; Henry at 4.1 and the Rock Island County jobless rate is at 5.3 percent. In the region, Professional-Business Services (-2,500), Government (-2,000), Educational-Health Services (-1,800), Leisure-Hospitality (-1,500), and the Manufacturing (-1,400) sectors recorded the largest employment declines compared to one year ago. The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment. A person who exhausts benefits, or is ineligible, still will be reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.
Statewide, the unemployment rate is 6.5 percent with the national rate at 6.6 percent.
