Unemployment Rate Comparison
Income

Illinois vs Ohio: Unemployment Rate

Ohio has a lower unemployment rate than Illinois.

Illinois flag
Illinois
IL • Midwest
4.6%
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).
Ohio flag
Ohio
OH • Midwest
Winner
4.5%
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).

Visual Comparison

Illinois 4.6%
Ohio 4.5%

Difference: 0.10 percentage points — Ohio leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for unemployment rate.

Illinois #39 · 4.6%
Ohio #38 · 4.5%
Best Worst

10 Best States — Unemployment Rate

Lower is better
#1 Hawaii flag Hawaii
2.2%
#2 South Dakota flag South Dakota
2.2%
#3 North Dakota flag North Dakota
2.6%
#4 Vermont flag Vermont
2.6%
#5 Alabama flag Alabama
2.7%
#6 Nebraska flag Nebraska
3.0%
#7 New Hampshire flag New Hampshire
3.1%
#8 Wisconsin flag Wisconsin
3.1%
#9 Maine flag Maine
3.2%
#10 Mississippi flag Mississippi
3.4%
Selected states
#39 Illinois flag Illinois
4.6%
#38 Ohio flag Ohio
4.5%

Illinois ranks 39th and Ohio ranks 38th nationally for unemployment rate.

Related Context

Jobs Picture

Unemployment is one signal — the employment ratio and job growth round out the full picture.

What This Means

Illinois vs Ohio: Unemployment Rate in context

Ohio has a unemployment rate of 4.5%, compared with 4.6% in Illinois. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).

Illinois
4.6%
Ohio
4.5%
Difference
0.10 percentage points

People Also Ask

Illinois vs Ohio Unemployment Rate — Common Questions

Q What is Illinois's unemployment rate?

Illinois's unemployment rate is 4.6%.

Q What is Ohio's unemployment rate?

Ohio's unemployment rate is 4.5%.

Q Which state has a lower unemployment rate — Illinois or Ohio?

Ohio has a lower unemployment rate than Illinois.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.