Biz Barometer

Pekin’s sales tax disbursement received from the state in December was 19.9% more than December of 2011.  December disbursements typically represent sales taxes collected by merchants in October.

Pekin’s sales tax disbursements received from the state for the last 3 months were 10.6% greater than the same three months in 2011.

The other three large communities on the east side of the Illinois River showed mixed results in sales tax disbursements received in December, compared to December of 2011:  Morton (+2.8%), East Peoria (-20.5%), and Washington (-0.8%)

For the 12-months ending in December, all four communities showed an increase in sales tax receipts from the state, compared to the same 12-months a year ago:  East Peoria (+7.7%), Pekin (+7.3%), Morton (+4.1%), and Washington (+2.5%)

The number of residential units sold in the 61554 zip code in the first 11 months of 2012 was 5.0% great than the same period in 2011.

The other large Tazewell County communities are showing large increases in residential unit sales for the first eleven months of 2012, compared to 2011:  East Peoria (+30.0%), Washington (+27.0%), and Morton (+26.2%)

The average sales price of residential units in the 61554 zip code for the first eleven months of 2012 is $108,833.  That is a 2.6% increase over the same period in 2011.

The average sales price of residential units in the other large Tazewell communities is also up compared to the first eleven months of 2011:  Morton (+10.2%), East Peoria (+5.9%), and Washington (+3.2%).

The unemployment rate in Pekin in October fell to 8.2%, which is down slightly from 8.3% in September of 2012 and 9.6% in October of 2011.

The October unemployment rate in the Peoria region stood at 7.7%, down from October 2011’s rate of 8.3%.

The number of people employed in Pekin in October was 16,494, which is 107 (-0.6%) less than the employment level in October of 2011

Nationally, the unemployment rate edged down to 7.7% in November.  The total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 146,000.  Employment increased in retail trade, professional and business services, and health care.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) declined 0.3 percent in November on a seasonally adjusted basis. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.8 percent before seasonal adjustments.