January was  the  eleventh  month  in  a  row  that unemployment rates fell in every metro area in the state compared to a year ago, according to preliminary data released recently by the Illinois Department of Employment Security  and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Rates also fell in all 102 counties for the sixth consecutive month and the seventh time out of the last eight months.

Illinois businesses added jobs in eleven metros. The largest increases included: Danville  (2.8  percent, 800),  Champaign-Urbana  (2.0  percent, 2,100), Rockford (1.7 percent, 2,400) and Chicago-Naperville- Arlington Heights Metro Division (1.6 percent, 56,800).

Decreases came in: Carbondale-Marion (-1.9 percent, -1,000), Decatur (-1.2 percent, -600) and Bloomington (-1.0 percent, -900).

The industry sectors recording job growth in the majority of metros were Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (10 of 14), Retail Trade (9 of 14), Leisure and Hospitality (9 of 14) and Education and Health Services (8 of 14).

“Unemployment rates continue to decline across all metro areas and counties, primarily due to increased employment. Job growth is stronger among the larger urban areas such as Chicago and Rockford,” IDES Director Jeff Mays said. “Transportation, Warehousing and Public Utilities jobs increased in 10 of the 14 metro areas in January.”

The January 2015 not seasonally adjusted Illinois rate was 6.9 percent and 12.2 percent at its peak in this economic cycle in January 2010.

Nationally, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in January and 10.6 percent in January 2010 at its peak. The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and looking for work and is not tied to collecting unemployment insurance benefits.