The Peoria Metropolitan Area unemployment rate for February was 8.4 percent. It’s a 1.4 percent increase over February last year and the largest year to year monthly unemployment increase in the state.
The rates in the Decatur (8.2 percent) and Danville (8.4 percent) metro areas were higher. Kankakee’s jobless rate match’s Peoria’s.
The statewide unemployment rate was 7 percent for the month, a half percent increase from February of last year.
The state’s overall job growth remains among the slowest in the country according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.