Despite the fact that unemployment in Illinois has dropped over the last 12 months, with job gains seen in many metro areas across the state, both Peoria and Kankakee have lost hundreds of jobs in the same period. In 2018, Peoria unemployment rates were at 4.1 percent with an estimated 7,300 Peoria residents unemployed. The lack of job growth over the last 12 months puts a further financial strain on residents in Peoria and surrounding areas. Some job losses in the area coincided with the … [Read more...]