CHICAGO — The Illinois Department of Employment Security says unemployment dropped during April in 11 of the state's 12 metro areas.
The department said Thursday the biggest decrease was in the Rockford area where unemployment decreased from 12.1 percent in April 2011 to 10.7 percent. The Kankakee-Bradley area wasn't far behind. The jobless rate there fell from 11.8 percent to 10.5 percent. Only the Metro East had an increase — a small jump from 8.3 to 8.4 percent.
Unemployment in the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville metro area decreased from 9.5 percent to 9 percent.
Earlier this month the department reported that the statewide jobless rate fell in April to 8.7 percent. The national rate was 8.1 percent.
Department Director Jay Rowell says April's numbers are evidence that the uneven recovery from the recession continues.