Winnebago County, IL jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near meWinnebago County economy
4.5%
unemployment, Sep 2026
5.4% the month before
128,413
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
283,289
people in Winnebago County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$64,363
median household income
Source: Census ACS
33%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Winnebago County ranks
Where Winnebago County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #16Counties where unemployment fell the most in the Midwest−0.9 points · of 100
- #16Counties where unemployment fell the most in the Great Lakes−0.9 points · of 100
Winnebago County outlook: Steady
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 0.6% from 2022 to 2025
- Population down 0.4% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 4.5%, down 0.9 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: arts & recreation (+820 jobs), health care (+733 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: retail (−764 jobs), wholesale (−427 jobs)
Learn and get funded in Winnebago County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Winnebago County layoffs
1
Layoff notices, last 12 months
204
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
1
employer
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Transportation | Rockford | 204 | Closure | State record |
Employers hiring most in Winnebago County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- RTX9 open roles
- Michael Page8 open roles
- Woodward7 open roles
- American Civil Constructors6 open roles
- Mastec6 open roles
- Top Echelon Network (recruiter member boards)6 open roles
- Amazon5 open roles
- Corporate Services4 open roles
- Raytheon4 open roles
- Cintas3 open roles
Colleges in Winnebago County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford University | Rockford | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Saint Anthony College of Nursing | Rockford | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Winnebago County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in Illinois? How to file for unemployment in Illinois (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
- The Workforce Connection Inc.
Boone, Stephenson, Winnebago
The Workforce Connection - Rockford
Rockford · Comprehensive · 815-847-7574
Monday 08:00-17:00, Tuesday 08:00-17:00, Wednesday 08:00-17:00, Thursday 08:00-17:00, Friday 08:00-17:00,
Cities in Winnebago County
Other Illinois counties
Laid off or looking for work in Winnebago County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from Illinois’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Illinois unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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