neighboring states

Illinois’ unemployment rate is still lagging behind the rest of the nation and is the highest of all Midwestern states at 7.1%, leaving 436,400 Illinoisans looking for work, according to analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute.

Last week in this space, I mentioned that Illinois often finds itself at the bottom of "good lists," and at the top of the "bad lists." There aren't a whole lot of things worse than being unemployed (especially when you desperately wish to be employed), and unfortunately, Illinois holds the nation's top spot on the list of highest unemployment rates.