The level of unemployment in the US city of Chicago has noticeably increased, new statistics have indicated.

According to figures from the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), the number of unemployed people has risen most significantly in the Rockford area.

Released on Thursday (June 25th), the statistics showed that unemployment increased from eight per cent to 13.4 per cent from May 2008 to May this year.

Overall, the monthly level of employment in each of the city's 12 metropolitan areas was found to have dropped for the 24th time in two years.

In addition, the statistics revealed that the level of unemployment in the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet area was 10.2 per cent in May, up from 6.3 per cent during the same month in 2008.

There were 185,900 more unemployed people in Chicago's entire metro area in May 2008 than in the same month in the previous year.

Commenting on the findings, IDES director Maureen O'Donnell said: "The economy continues to tighten.

"That contraction continues to pressure local economies and potentially means further increases in the unemployment rate."