Two hundred fewer Evanstonians were looking for work last month than the month before — but the size of the city’s workforce — those employed or looking for work — fell by 331 workers.
Net result — the jobless rated fell from 6.1% in July to 5.7% in August, but the number of people in town with jobs fell by 131.
It was the same story for the Chicago metro area and for the state as a whole — the jobless rate declined, but largely because people dropped out of the workforce and stopped looking for work.
The metro jobless rate fell from 7.5% to 7.1%, the statewide number fell from 7.0% to 6.8%
Skokie’s jobless rate in August was 6.6%, down from 7% in July. Wilmette’s rate was 4.5% in August, down from 4.9% in July.