Chicago Market Snapshot
November 2022
Note: Most recent data available.
The U.S. economy continues to maintain a strong pace of job growth heading into 2023. With a tight labor market spurring competition for front-line and entry level workers in hospitality, retail and other major sectors, the number of job postings remains above 10 million.
The unemployment rate for the Chicago metro area is 4.4%, higher than the national rate of 3.6%. While there have been more than 150,000 jobs added in the past year, wages in the Chicago metro area have stagnated. The average wage increase in the U.S. is 5.2%, compared with 3.8% for the Chicago metro area. See Q3 2022 numbers here.
jobs Added
+157,600
year over year
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
4.4%
up from 4.3% in October 2022
WAGE CHANGE
+3.8%
year over year
- Total nonfarm employment is up 3.4% YoY in the Chicago area.
- Leisure and hospitality had the largest gain (+60,200) among the metropolitan area’s private-industry supersectors. The 13.9% increase in the metropolitan area’s leisure and hospitality supersector compared to the 8.4% increase on a national level.
- The unemployment rate in the U.S. is 3.6%, compared to 4.4% in the Chicago metro area.
Chicago Jobs Breakdown
Q4 2022
Food Preparation Workers
- Unique Job Postings: 312
- Jobs Change: ↑ 24.8% from Q3
- Median Hourly Wage: $14.53
- Median Hourly Wage as Advertised: $16.55
COUNTER & RENTAL CLERKS
- Unique Job Postings: 760
- Jobs Change: ↑ 18.6% from Q3
- Median Hourly Wage: $14.24
- Median Hourly Wage as Advertised: $15.82
CoNCIERGES
- Unique Job Postings: 1,042
- Jobs Change: ↑ 4.8% from Q3
- Median Hourly Wage: $18.58
- Median Hourly Wage as Advertised: $18.03
SHIPPING, RECEIVING & INVENTORY CLERKS
- Unique Job Postings: 352
- Jobs Change: ↑ 3.8% from Q3
- Median Hourly Wage: $15.70
- Median Hourly Wage as Advertised: $17.05
PRODUCTION WORKERS
- Unique Job Postings: 2,470
- Jobs Change: ↑ 0.5% from Q3
- Median Hourly Wage: $15.49
- Median Hourly Wage as Advertised: $18.03
JANITORS & CLEANING WORKERS
- Unique Job Postings: 3,187
- Jobs Change: ↓ 6.4% from Q3
- Median Hourly Wage: $15.12
- Median Hourly Wage as Advertised: $16.09
About PeopleReady
PeopleReady connects people with work throughout the Chicago and rural Illinois markets. We put a Workforce Within Reach™ across a variety of industries, including hospitality, retail, manufacturing, construction and more. If you’re struggling to find workers in this competitive market, visit our Chicago market service center page or call us at 630.725.1618 to find staffing solutions now.
SOURCES
- U.S. BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- Emsi, January 3, 2022
