Chicago Job Market Report

Chicago's job market remains robust, with over 2.5 million residents fueling diverse opportunities in a city ranked third largest in the U.S., according to Extra Space Storage data from April 2026. The employment landscape spans healthcare, technology, manufacturing, transportation, and finance, home to the second-largest number of Fortune 500 headquarters like Exelon, AbbVie, and United Airlines. Key statistics show a median household income of $62,097 and average salaries around $77,775 annually for various roles, per ZipRecruiter March 2026 figures, though data gaps exist for city-specific unemployment as state-level Illinois data from the Department of Employment Security indicates a 4.9% rate in January 2026, up slightly from prior...

Chicago's job market in early 2026 reflects a stabilizing yet cautious landscape amid national slowdowns, with the Chicago PMI dipping to 54.6 from 57.7 in February according to Trading Economics data, signaling moderate expansion in manufacturing. Employment shows mixed signals: US payrolls fell 92,000 in February per S&P Global, with unemployment steady at 4.4 percent nationally from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago insights, though local sentiment sours amid hiring droughts as noted in recent polls. Major industries include retail pharmacy, banking, manufacturing, and services, with key employers like Walgreens cutting 469 Illinois jobs at its Deerfield headquarters and Wells Fargo announcing layoffs per Yotru...

Chicago's job market remains healthy yet selective in early 2026, with employment growth slowing but staying positive after a robust 2025. The Seventh District, including Chicago, saw payroll employment rise 0.3 percent from late 2024 to late 2025, outpacing the national 0.2 percent increase per the Chicago Fed's 2025 review, though growth dipped near zero by year-end. Unemployment held steady at low levels, with the District's rate falling to 4.2 percent in December 2025 from 4.5 percent prior, close to the U.S. 4.4 percent, signaling a balanced labor market amid low layoffs and continuing claims trending down as Marketplace reports.

Major industries like manufacturing faced headwinds from trade...

Chicago's job market remains robust with 177,449 openings listed on Indeed as of March 23, 2026, reflecting a diverse employment landscape driven by logistics, tech, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. Key statistics show 245,800 tech workers comprising 5.2 percent of the workforce per a 2024 CompTIA survey updated into 2026 trends, while the Chicago Fed National Activity Index dipped to minus 0.11 in February 2026 from a previous 0.18, signaling slight cooling amid national pressures. Unemployment stays stable nationwide per Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee's March 23 remarks on CNBC, though specific Chicago rates are unavailable in recent data, highlighting a gap.

Major industries include fintech, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, software...

Chicago's job market remains resilient amid national trends, with steady employment growth driven by key industries despite limited localized data. The broader U.S. unemployment rate holds at 4.3 percent according to Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data, while real average hourly earnings rose 1.4 percent from February 2025 to February 2026 per BLS reports, suggesting wage gains that likely benefit Chicago workers. Major industries include food service, technology, manufacturing, and professional services, with top employers like McDonald's global headquarters anchoring operations. Growing sectors feature engineering technology, fueled by shortages in advanced manufacturing, automation, clean energy, and infrastructure as noted by University of Illinois...

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Chicago's job market remains robust yet cooling amid national trends, with over 185,000 openings listed on Indeed as of March 2026. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports national job openings at 6.5 million in December 2025, down slightly from prior months, signaling a balanced employment landscape where hires and separations both hover around 3.3 percent. Chicago mirrors this, driven by finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and tech, with major employers like Boeing, United Airlines, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital anchoring stability.

Key statistics show unemployment steady near 4 percent locally, though specific Chicago data lags behind national figures; BLS notes a hires rate dip from 2021...

Chicago has solidified its position as a premier technology hub, ranking among the top five North American tech centers. The city's job market reflects a diverse landscape spanning fintech, industrial IoT, healthcare technology, and logistics. Major employers actively recruiting include Motorola Solutions, Caterpillar, Adyen, NinjaTrader, and Ahold Delhaize USA, with opportunities ranging from backend Java engineers to mobile developers specializing in Flutter and Android. According to Built In Chicago, the region is thriving with projects in cloud migration, cybersecurity, and machine learning, making it a stable destination for developers at every career stage.

The broader U.S. labor...

Chicago's job market remains resilient amid national slowdowns, with the region topping U.S. metros for corporate facility projects according to Site Selection's 2025 Conway Projects Database, which tracked over 600 initiatives generating nearly 19,600 jobs and $1.7 billion in earnings. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports national nonfarm payrolls dropped 92,000 in February 2026, with unemployment rising to 4.4 percent from 4.3 percent in January, though Chicago-specific metro data shows steadier employment-population ratios around 59 to 64 percent across demographics. Major industries include food, manufacturing, finance, insurance, and logistics, employing a five-million-strong workforce, while growing sectors like advanced manufacturing, startups with $4.32 billion invested in 2024 per World Business Chicago, and...

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Chicago's job market in early 2026 reflects a national trend of cooling yet stable employment, with total U.S. job openings at 6.5 million per the Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS report for December 2025, amid a low-hire, low-fire equilibrium. The employment landscape features resilient public sector dominance, as Crain's 2026 ranking highlights the federal government with 55,000 jobs, Chicago Public Schools, and City Hall as top employers, followed by hospitals and Amazon. Key statistics show U.S. nonfarm payrolls up 130,000 in January 2026, with unemployment at 4.3 percent nationally according to BLS, though Chicago-specific rates align closely without recent metro data; compensation costs rose 3.4 percent year-over-year...

Chicagos job market reflects a stabilizing national economy with cautious optimism into 2026. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports January 2026 nonfarm payrolls rose by 130,000 jobs nationwide, exceeding estimates, while unemployment fell to 4.3 percent from 4.4 percent, with healthcare leading gains at 82,000 jobs and construction adding 33,000. Chicago mirrors this, showing a frozen but steady employment landscape amid 2025 revisions that downgraded national job growth to 181,000 from prior estimates per the New York Times. Key statistics include 7.4 million U.S. job openings in June 2025 per BLS JOLTS data, with state-level hires at 3.3 percent, though Chicago-specific figures lag behind July 2026 releases.

Trends...

Chicago's job market in early 2026 reflects a cooling national trend with Illinois-specific softness, as ADP data shows U.S. private employers added just 41,000 jobs in December 2025 after November losses, while Illinois lost 17,000 jobs over 2025, leaving 302,000 residents unemployed. The state's unemployment rate tops the national average at around 4.6%, a four-year high per Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago estimates, with forecasts tracking via BLS updates. Major industries include healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, energy, and aviation, led by top employers like GE HealthCare Technologies, State Farm, Allstate, Exelon, Motorola Solutions, United Airlines, and Hyatt Hotels, as ranked by Forbes for 2026. Healthcare stands out with...

Chicago's job market remains resilient amid national economic strength, with solid employment growth signaling stability despite shifting Federal Reserve rate cut expectations, as noted in Southeast AgNET's analysis of the latest jobs report. The employment landscape features a diverse economy driven by professional services, healthcare, manufacturing, finance, and a burgeoning tech sector that has added over 106,000 direct tech jobs and 147,000 multiplier jobs in the past decade, according to Outsource Solutions Group. Key statistics include over 99,000 tech professionals employed as of 2024, contributing $39.3 billion in economic output, while the national unemployment rate stands at 4.3 percent in January 2026 per the Bureau of Labor...

Chicago's job market reflects a cooling yet resilient landscape amid national slowdowns, with artificial intelligence reshaping opportunities and challenges. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via The Center Square, Illinois' unemployment rate stood at an elevated level in December 2025 compared to the prior year, though specific Chicago figures remain unavailable in recent data. Employment totals hover around stable levels, with the metro area boasting 245,800 tech workers comprising 5.2 percent of the workforce per a 2024 CompTIA survey cited by Built In Chicago. Major industries include artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, and logistics, anchored by employers like McDonald's, Boeing, John...

Chicago's job market in early 2026 shows stability amid national slowdowns, with the Chicago Fed forecasting a real-time unemployment rate of 4.36 percent for January, slightly down from December's 4.38 percent as reported by the Chicago Fed Labor Market Indicators. Employment landscape remains diverse, anchored by tech, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and construction, though national trends like weak January job growth of just 4,500 nationwide per the Bureau of Labor Statistics signal caution, potentially tied to immigration policies reducing foreign-born workers. Key statistics include a layoffs rate of 2.08 percent in January, hiring rate for unemployed at 45.10 percent per Chicago Fed data, and Chicago's tech workforce...

Chicago's job market shows signs of cautious recovery amid national data disruptions. Total nonfarm employment in Illinois stood at 6,162.6 thousand in September 2025, seasonally adjusted, per FRED data from the St. Louis Fed, with slight declines from summer peaks. The Chicago Business Barometer surged to 54.0 in January 2026, signaling expansion for the first time since November 2023, according to MNI and ISM, driven by gains in employment, orders, and production. Unemployment specifics for Chicago remain unavailable due to a government shutdown delaying the January BLS jobs report, as reported by CBS News, creating gaps in precise local figures; Illinois' rate hovered around 4.6% in...

Chicago's job market ended 2025 strongly, with the Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metro Division adding 28,800 nonfarm jobs over the year, marking 18 consecutive months of growth, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released January 29, 2026. The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.4 percent in December 2025, unchanged from December 2024, while total nonfarm employment reached a record for the month. Key industries driving gains included private education and health services with 20,200 jobs added, government at 15,500, information at 2,900, financial activities at 2,500, transportation-warehousing-utilities at 2,000, and construction at 1,400; losses occurred in retail trade minus 7,600 and manufacturing minus 6,100. Major employers...

Chicago's job market remains resilient amid statewide challenges, with the metro area adding jobs and posting a lower unemployment rate of 4.5 percent for the year ending November 2025, down from 4.8 percent, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The broader Illinois unemployment rate stood at 4.6 percent in December 2025, up slightly from November but down year-over-year, with total nonfarm payrolls reaching 6,159,300 after a modest monthly gain. Key industries include manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, private education and health services, and government, which saw the largest job increases in December, while trade, transportation, utilities, and construction...

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Chicago's job market reflects a national slowdown with localized resilience amid rising unemployment pressures. The employment landscape shows steady but lackluster hiring, as ADP data indicates U.S. private employers added just 41,000 jobs in December 2025, erasing November's losses, with education, health services, and leisure hospitality driving gains while professional services declined. Chicago-specific statistics from the Illinois Department of Employment Security reveal continued job growth over the year ending November 2025, though unemployment rose in 10 of 12 metro areas including Chicago, contrasting with national estimates holding at 4.6 percent per the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Trends point to sputtering demand rather than workforce...

Chicago's job market demonstrates resilience amid national uncertainties, with the Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metro Division recording 17 consecutive months of year-over-year job growth through November 2025, reaching a record number of November jobs according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Total nonfarm jobs in the broader Illinois area stood at around 6.2 million, though precise Chicago metro figures highlight gains of 17,500 jobs or 0.5 percent in key divisions. The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg area fell 0.3 points to 4.5 percent year-over-year, bucking rises in most Illinois metros, while statewide rates edged higher amid federal uncertainties.
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Chicago's job market shows stability amid national trends, with an unemployment rate of 4.5 percent as of November 2025, slightly above the U.S. average of 4.3 percent according to Illinois Policy Institute data. The employment landscape features a mix of recovering sectors post-pandemic, where professional and business services drive earnings growth at 26.7 percent of private sector gains despite comprising 16.9 percent of employment, per Bureau of Labor Statistics figures from December 2023 to 2024. Key statistics highlight industrial net absorption surging to 7.3 million square feet in late 2025, with asking rents up 2.1 percent to $7.94 per square foot, as reported by Savills.

Major industries include...

Chicago’s job market is diverse, slowly growing, and closely tied to both national trends and local strengths in technology, finance, transportation, and health care. The metro area remains a Midwest talent anchor with a gradually cooling but still resilient labor market.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the broader U.S. unemployment rate is in the mid‑4 percent range, and Chicago typically runs slightly above the national average because of its large, varied workforce. NPR Illinois reports that 2025 saw the weakest U.S. job growth since 2020, with 584,000 jobs added nationwide, and Chicago employers are feel...

Chicago's job market in early 2026 reflects a national slowdown, with cooling job creation and heightened competition, particularly for recent graduates. According to the NACE 2026 Job Outlook report, 51 percent of employers rate the market as fair or poor, up from 37 percent in 2023, amid reduced hiring and federal cuts. The Chicago Fed's labor model projects an unemployment rate steady at 4.56 percent, aligning with national figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing only 685,000 jobs added recently versus 1.38 million last year, a 51 percent drop.

Major industries include finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and real estate, with key employers like Mesirow Financial expanding in...

Chicago's job market reflects a cooling national landscape amid fiscal pressures, with the city's unemployment rate aligning closely to the U.S. figure of 4.6 percent as estimated by the Chicago Fed for December 2025. The employment landscape features steady public sector activity despite constraints, dominated by public safety roles in police and fire departments, alongside professional services, healthcare, and manufacturing. Key statistics show the city payroll at around 32,400 employees, with 494 new hires from the corporate fund between August and November 2025, half in non-public-safety positions according to Chicago Tribune records. Trends indicate a national slowdown in hiring, averaging 35,000 jobs monthly since March 2025...

Chicago's job market in late 2025 reflects a national slowdown, with private payrolls dropping 32,000 positions in November according to ADP data, amid flat hiring and cautious employers facing uncertain macro conditions. The employment landscape shows choppy growth, particularly hurting small businesses which employ 46 percent of workers, while midsize and large firms added some jobs in education and health services. Key statistics include a U.S. unemployment rate of 4.6 percent in November per government figures, up from 3.4 percent under prior leadership, with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago estimating 4.44 percent; Chicago-specific rates align closely, though local data gaps persist without fresh BLS...

Chicago's job market in late 2025 remains stable amid national trends of modest erosion, with unemployment holding steady at levels equal to the national rate of around 4 percent as of September, down 0.6 percent from last year according to the Illinois Housing Market Forecast from Illinois Realtors. The employment landscape features a mix of traditional sectors like logistics and emerging opportunities in remote government roles, though data gaps exist on precise citywide figures beyond housing-linked indicators. Key statistics show closed sales activity down 10.5 percent year-over-year in the Chicago metro area through November, reflecting softer demand tied to high mortgage rates above 6 percent...

Chicago's job market reflects the broader economic challenges affecting the United States as we close out 2025. The nation's unemployment rate has climbed to 4.6%, its highest level in four years, and Chicago has not been insulated from this slowdown. The labor market across the country added only 64,000 jobs in the most recent reporting period, a stark contrast to the 1.1 million jobs created during the comparable seven-month period in 2024. Job creation has decelerated dramatically, averaging just 17,000 new positions monthly since April compared to 160,000 monthly during the prior year.

Manufacturing has been particularly hard hit nationwide, shedding 67,000 positions since April, with...

Chicago’s job market is stable but cooling, with solid hiring in services and pockets of tech and logistics growth alongside softer demand in office-heavy sectors. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area unemployment rate is about 4.1 percent in recent data, roughly in line with the national rate, and state officials note record September employment levels in Chicago over the past year. According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago metro division grew about 1 percent year over year, adding roughly 39,500 positions, though gains are uneven across industries. The employment la...

Chicago’s job market in late 2025 is steady but softer than in past expansions, reflecting a national labor market that has cooled to roughly 4.4 percent unemployment according to JPMorgan and Morningstar, with hiring slower but not collapsing. For listeners, that means more competition for roles, yet continued opportunities in key local industries.

The employment landscape is shaped by Chicago’s role as the Midwest’s business, logistics, and healthcare hub. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports Illinois unemployment near 4.4 percent in recent months, similar to the national rate, though data for October is incomplete because the federa...

Chicago’s job market remains relatively solid but cooler than its post‑pandemic peak. According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois’ unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in September, slightly above the U.S. average, with Chicago closely tracking state conditions. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports Illinois nonfarm payrolls at roughly 6.16 million jobs, essentially flat over the past year, suggesting a stable but not booming market. The Chicago economy is highly diversified: World Business Chicago and analysis highlighted by Paulo O’Brien describe a balanced mix of manufacturing, finance and insurance, professional and business services, healthcare, transportation and logi...

Chicago’s job market remains stable but cooler than its post-pandemic peak, with modest growth and rising competition for quality roles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Illinois Department of Employment Security, metro Chicago’s unemployment rate has hovered around the mid-4 percent range in 2025, slightly above the national average but still consistent with a soft-landing labor market. The employment landscape is shaped by a diverse base: major industries include finance, professional and business services, transportation and logistics, healthcare, education, manufacturing, and tourism. Large employers such as JPMorgan Chase, United Airlines, Northwestern Medicine, the University of C...

Chicago's job market shows mixed signals as of December 2025. The city experienced overall employment growth of 0.5 percent, though high-income industry growth declined by 1.2 percent, indicating a shift toward lower-wage employment. This contrasts sharply with stronger national trends, particularly in the Carolinas and Boise, Idaho, which have dominated job growth metrics.

The national unemployment rate reached 4.4 percent in September 2025, marking the highest level in nearly four years. The economy added 117,000 jobs in September, below the decade-long monthly average of 146,000. Worker pay continues to outpace inflation, with average weekly earnings rising 3.8 percent year-over-year. Manufacturing data presents concerns, with the ISM...

Chicago's job market is experiencing significant stress as the city navigates cooling economic conditions. The unemployment landscape reflects broader national trends, with Chicago facing the 38th worst unemployment rate in the country according to Illinois Policy. The labor market has been cooling gradually throughout 2025, with expectations that it will eventually stabilize and show signs of retightening, though current momentum suggests continued weakness ahead.

Recent economic data paints a concerning picture for Chicago's employment sector. The Chicago Business Barometer fell sharply to 36.3 in November 2025, indicating contraction in business activity. This decline signals weakening demand across multiple sectors and suggests...

Chicago's job market remains relatively stable through 2025, characterized by steady employment levels and resilience across diverse sectors. The unemployment rate recently reached 4.4 percent, marking its highest level in nearly four years, though still considered moderate by historical standards. Recent employment data shows the jobs market adding 119,000 positions, indicating continued but moderating growth as the year progresses.

The Chicago metropolitan area maintains its position as a top three economy in the United States, with significant employment concentrated in finance, transportation, and healthcare. The region's economic development strategy targets major growth sectors including manufacturing particularly food and metals, transportation distribution...

Chicago’s job market in late 2025 is marked by pronounced turbulence, largely driven by a delayed release of federal labor statistics due to an October government shutdown. According to the Chicago Federal Reserve, the city’s estimated unemployment rate stood near 4.4 percent in October 2025, the highest in four years, reflecting a notable increase from prior months and a slowdown in hiring. Private data sources such as the ADP National Employment Report showed a modest gain of 42,000 private sector jobs nationally in October, but this was offset by reports of over 153,000 job cuts—the highest October total since 2003—amid widespread layoffs, particul...

Chicago’s job market in late 2025 is marked by flat employment growth, a modest uptick in unemployment, and shifting patterns in job demand and sector performance. According to the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank, the city’s unemployment rate recently reached 4.36 percent, while other estimates place it closer to 5.0 percent as of Q3 2025. This is up from about 4.1 percent a year ago, reflecting both broad economic uncertainty and a sharp slowdown in hiring, as noted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and ADP. Larger numbers of job seekers are pursuing seasonal and part-time work, with Indeed reporting a 27 percent year-over-year surge in a...

Chicago’s job market in late 2025 is characterized by mixed signals, persistent uncertainty, and ongoing transition. According to the Chicago Fed, the unemployment rate climbed to about 4.35 percent in October, reflecting national trends and reaching its highest point since the pandemic recovery began. Layoff announcements have sharply increased, approaching rates seen during the 2009 recession, with Challenger, Gray & Christmas noting that more than a million jobs have been cut nationwide this year. Despite these challenges, payroll data from ADP showed a modest 42,000 gain in private sector jobs in September, though October saw net job losses, and job postings on major platforms li...

Chicago’s job market in fall 2025 is marked by high complexity, mixed signals, and shifting dynamics. The unemployment rate, as estimated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, rose to 4.4% last month, reflecting a softening labor market, although this figure is still relatively low historically. According to economic analysis published in the Economic Times and the Chicago Fed, job gains are modest at best, with private payroll data from ADP showing only 42,000 net new jobs in October after two months of declines. Employers are cautious, and despite the low unemployment rate, listeners should be aware that Chicago is facing its sl...