Local leaders say Springfield’s latest jobs figures show the effectiveness of economic development efforts.
Figures from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show there are 13-hundred more employed individuals in Springfield now than there were before the pandemic, and unemployment locally has fallen to 4.7 percent, down from 5.1 in May of 2021. Ryan McCrady of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance says not only are more people working, but wages are also growing, up to $30 an hour for the average privately-employed worker in Springfield, an increase of $5 an hour over early 2020.
McCrady says the community not only has a strong workforce, it can offer businesses a base of customers with good jobs and money to spend.
