Associated Press - November 25, 2009 2:44 PM ET

CHICAGO (AP) - The jobless rate rose in most Illinois metropolitan areas in October.

Figures released Wednesday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security show unemployment was highest in the Rockford area at 15.7 percent. That's up from 15.2 percent in September.

The Kankakee-Bradley area ranked second with a 13.3 percent jobless rate. Also in double-digits were Decatur with 12.7 percent, Danville with 12.1 percent, Peoria with 11.7 percent, the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet area with 10.4 percent and Lake-Kenosha with 10.2 percent.

The lowest metropolitan jobless rate for October was 7.7 percent in the Bloomington-Normal area.

IDES Director Maureen O'Donnell says local economic recovery will likely lag behind a national recovery.

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