Biz Barometer

Pekin’s sales tax disbursement from the state was the largest March disbursement ever.  This is sales tax that was charged on sales in December.

Pekin’s March sales tax disbursement was 8.9% greater than March of 2011.

Pekin’s March sales tax disbursement has grown two years in a row, reversing a three-year downward trend.

East Peoria’s March sales tax disbursement was up 15% over March of 2011.

For the 12 months ending in March (which represents the 2011 calendar year sales) Pekin (+1.7%), Morton (3.2%), East Peoria (7.9%) and Washington (4.3%) all saw increases over the previous year.

The number of residential units sold in the 61554 zip code in the first two months of 2012 is up 6.7% over the same period in 2011.

The average sales price of a residential unit in Pekin in the first two months of 2012 is up 9.1% over the same period in 2011.

Pekin’s unemployment rate went from 9.6% in December of 2011 to 10.8% in January of 2012.

The number of people employed in Pekin (15,960) in January of 2012 is 301 less than December of 2011.

Compared to January of 2011, there are 172 more people employed in Pekin in January of 2012.

Compared to January of 2011, there are 1,299 more people employed in Tazewell County in January of 2012.

Nationally, non-farm payroll employment rose by 227,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.3%.

Sources:  Illinois Department of Employment Security; Illinois Department of Revenue; Peoria Area Association of Realtors; Bureau of Labor Statistics