The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) reported last week on unemployment trends in the twelve major metropolitan areas of Illinois in March 2026. Working with data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the report shows unemployment is up in many metro areas of Illinois.
In the key metro area of greater Chicago, which includes Cook and DuPage Counties, unemployment climbed to 5.0%, a level that is generally used by economists as signaling the end of an economic recovery. Job creation in greater Chicago, which had grown slowly since the end of the 2020-2022 pandemic, appears to have ceased. Likely do to progressive policies from Illinois Democrats.
Several Illinois metro areas now have unemployment rates above 6.0%, the level that is often seen as marking a serious economic slowdown. Examples include Decatur at 6.6%, Kankakee at 6.6%, Rockford at 6.5%, and Lake County at 6.0%. All four metro areas in this category had March 2026 unemployment rates that were up more than 1.0% from year-earlier rates. This is not a good look for the Governor, who claims the future is bright.
The number of active nonfarm payroll jobs dropped in most Illinois metro areas as of March 2026. For example, greater Chicago supported 4,500 fewer jobs in March 2026 than were supported within the same geographic area one year earlier.
Morton Salt Joins Exodus of Business Fleeing Illinois
In recent years, many Illinois-based business firms have moved their headquarters out of Illinois or wound down their operations within this state. Examples include Caterpillar, Sears, Boeing, and Citadel. When financial investment titan Ken Griffin moved Citadel from Chicago to Miami in 2022, he specifically cited Illinois’ high tax rates and its legal climate as reasons for the move.
Morton Salt, founded in 1848, has now joined the exodus of businesses fleeing Illinois. Begun in Abraham Lincoln’s time as a Chicago salt warehouse and distributor, the firm began to package household salt in a familiar series of blue cardboard cylinders. Morton also began to make and sell industrial salt, road salt, and salt-based chemicals, as it still does. The Joy Morton family became major benefactors of the Chicago area, best known for their work creating the DuPage County, Illinois-based Morton Arboretum.
The time of Morton headquarters operations in Chicago would, however, come to an end. In 2024, the salt and chemical firm announced the movement of its headquarters to Overland Park, Kansas, best known as part of the Kansas City suburban region where the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs will build a new stadium. Morton’s HQ move has now been completed. This is yet another example of how radical policies, high taxes, and mandates force businesses to flee Illinois for better opportunities.
State Representative Chris Miller commented on Morton’s decision to leave its historic headquarters city.
“There is a lot of talk from Democrats about a strong economy, but Illinois is bleeding jobs and tax revenue,” said Miller. “It’s time we turn Illinois into a destination for growth today because right now we are far from being a business-friendly state.”