Local unemployment dropped from August to September. The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the combined rate for LaSalle, Bureau, and Putnam counties went from 8.7% to 7.8%. LaSalle County’s rate was 9.3% in August and 8.2% in September.
The return to work has a way to go before unemployment figures look like they did a year ago. The September 2019 three-county rate was 4.2% and for LaSalle County it was 4.3%.
The state says the area lost 2,675 non-farm jobs, mostly in manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, and education and health care services.