The Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance President and CEO Ryan McCrady said the State of Illinois’ most recent jobs report confirms that Springfield is on the right track in terms of economic development and growth.
According to the most recent data report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), Springfield’s unemployment rate is almost a full percentage point below the state’s unemployment average of 5.2%, sitting at 4.3%. The report also showed that the Sangamon County region had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs, growing 1.9%. That gain resulted in more than 2,000 additional jobs for the area, which includes an additional 1,300 government jobs and an increase in 800 new jobs within the IT industry. The retail and wholesale trade sectors also saw moderate growth. McCrady said overall, the numbers are encouraging.
“These numbers indicate robust demand for labor in the local economy,” said SSGA’s President and CEO Ryan McCrady. “The increase in employed individuals and the consistently low unemployment rate shows that the local workforce is engaged and responding well to new employment opportunities. SSGA has held several hiring events over the last year to help connect employers to qualified employees so we know that the demand for qualified workers is there. But we always love to have data that backs up the trends we’re seeing firsthand.”
McCrady said although there were several positive findings in this October report, the average hourly wage at private employers is $30.40 per hour, which is down from a high of $32.76 in February of 2024. However, this number is still up over 20% from what the numbers were in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve seen such tremendous progress from our community since the pandemic,” said McCrady. “It is great news that our unemployment rate is going down, but it is even better when we analyze several other data points alongside this rate to see the full picture of our economy. We have more people employed this year than last year and people are making more income than they did before the pandemic. This sort of gain is not common all across the country. These data points showcase an activated workforce, a steady demand for labor and our local workers are responding and going to work.”
The Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance (SSGA) is committed to pursuing the economic prosperity and growth for Sangamon County and the City of Springfield, Illinois. Founded in 2018, the public-private sector partnership is dedicated to advancing economic development efforts in Springfield and Sangamon County. Led by a volunteered, diverse, industry-driven board of directors, SSGA is helping create and market a financially sound community; able to attract new businesses and skilled talent, while retaining the innovative companies and local workforce who already make Sangamon County their home. For more information about SSGA, visit www.ThriveInSPI.org.
