The current Illinois economic story includes higher unemployment, store closings, layoffs and inflation. The state’s jobless rate rose to 5% in June.

With Durbin stepping down, top Democrats compete for his seat — and his mantle as an advocate for downstate Illinois.

Illinois’s Economic Policies Are Destroying Opportunity. ... Adam writes about state and local policy and urban economic issues. Follow Author. Feb 21, 2025, 08:48am EST. Share. Save.

Even in some economic areas in which it has improved, such as the rainy day fund to keep the state operating during a downturn, which is up 700% since the Great Recession, Illinois still lags most ...

Reducing corruption will improve local economies and cultivate more trust between voters and elected officials.

Governor JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 2025-03, directing state agencies to evaluate the scale and impact of how Trump’s ...

No state is immune from the negative effects of an economic downturn, but Illinois is more prepared today than it was for the Great Recession of 2007-2009 or the COVID-19 recession of 2020 ...

The state is in better shape to withstand a downturn than it was during either the 2007 Great Recession or the 2020 COVID recession, according to the joint study published Monday by the Illinois ...

Overall, the study ranked Illinois 40th for its state economy but dead last in the economic health category. “Fifty-one out of 50 states and Washington, D.C.,” said Lugo.

Illinois achieved its highest position ever on CNBC’s business rankings, coming in at number 13. CNBC ranked Illinois the 13th-best state to do business in for 2025, a huge rise since its ranking in ...

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently signed a bill calling for the end of coal as a power source and mandating only clean energy production by 2050.