MOLINE, Ill. — Editor's note: The video above aired on July 20.
Statewide unemployment rates are out for the month of June, and one side of the Mississippi River is faring better than the other.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois was a 4.5% unemployment rate in June, the fifth highest in the nation, while Iowa was almost two percentage points lower at 2.6%. The national average was 3.6%.
Combined, both sides of the Quad Cities reported a 4.2% unemployment rate.
Although Illinois came in above the national average in terms of unemployment claims, both Iowa and Illinois saw about a 2% decrease since June 2021. Illinois saw a 0.3% increase in employment (18,000 jobs) from May to June, one of the largest increases reported in the country.
In fact, 4.5% is Illinois' lowest unemployment rate since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This data is a "further reflection of continued economic recovery and evidence of a strengthening Illinois labor market,” Illinois Deputy Gov. Andy Manar said in a news release.