The Illinois Department of Employment Security has released county unemployment figures for September 2025, showing modest improvement in employment across Wayne County and much of the region.
Wayne County reported an unemployment rate of 4.4 percent. Edwards County stood at 4.0 percent, Jefferson County at 5.0 percent, Hamilton County at 4.6 percent, Clay County at 4.9 percent, Richland County at 3.9 percent, White County at 4.6 percent, and Wabash County at 4.1 percent.
According to the report, there were 5,571 people employed in the area during September, an increase of 125 jobs compared to August. The number of unemployed residents fell to 271, down 19 from the previous month.
Statewide, the highest unemployment rate was recorded in Alexander County at 6.6 percent, while Monroe County posted the lowest rate in Illinois at 3.2 percent.
Both the state and national unemployment rates for September were reported at 4.3 percent. Illinois’ rate declined by four-tenths of a percent from August, while the national rate dropped by two-tenths of a percent over the same period.