In August, there were approximately 179,100 nonfarm payroll jobs, which was about 3,200 jobs fewer than the 182,300 jobs in August 2024 (not seasonally adjusted). Data for September was not available at the time of this writing due to the government shutdown.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the metro area lost 700 jobs since the end of the second quarter.

In August, the unemployment rate in the metro area was 5.3%, which was up from 4.8% in August 2024. County unemployment rates in the metro area ranged from 4.8% in Mercer County to 5.4% in Rock Island County. For comparison, the statewide unemployment rate in Iowa was 3.8% in August. The statewide unemployment rate for Illinois (excluding the Chicago area) was 4.1%.

Unemployment rates throughout the metro area have been running a few tenths of a percent above their levels from a year ago for most of 2025. These unemployment rates are still currently well below recessionary levels. However they are elevated compared to the 3 to 5% normally seen during the mature phase of an economic expansion. Payroll employment has been declining very gradually for several months with a slight acceleration in the decline since April. This is consistent with the evidence of a slowing labor market nationwide. See our Weekly Economic Trends and Indicators blog for regular updates on the Quad Cities employment situation.