The Illinois Department of Employment Security has released the results of the November unemployment rates and some went up, but some did drop. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the state in November is at 6.4 percent, down from 6.6 for the previous 2 months. The nation’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is at 5.8 for the 2nd month in a row. Counties in southern Illinois still have some of the highest rates in the state, but the rates are down. The seasonally unadjusted November rate for Washington County is at 4.6, which down from 4.8 the month before, it is still the 4th lowest unemployment rate in the state. Last November it was at 6.6 percent. Jefferson County went down from 6.6 to 6.3 last month. It was 9.2 a year ago. Clinton went up from 4.7 in October to 4.8 in November and it is the 6th lowest in the state. One year ago it was at 6.9 percent again. Perry County saw their unemployment rate go down slightly from 8.2 percent to 8.1 percent in November, and it is the 6th worst unemployment percentage in the state, but that is still below the rate of 11.5 a year ago. Marion County is back down to 8.3 from 8.5, a reverse of October’s movement, yet is the 4th worst rate in the state for last month. It was at 11.5 a year ago. Randolph County decreased from 6.3 percent in October to 6 percent in November, while Saint Clair County is back up to 6.9 from 6.6 in October, a reverse of September to October. The middle percentage for the state is at 6.4 and a half for the month. For the month of October there was one over 9.0 percent, but none were over that mark in November.
