A new information source, the Local Employment Dynamics (LED) program for Illinois, shows:

• The workforce is aging. From 1990 through 2002, an increasing percentage of the workforce was 45 years and older. The proportion of people 65 years and older who continue working has also increased, but slightly.
• Industries in which more than 1-in-5 workers were 55 years and older include: local/suburban transit and apparel from fabrics. Of these two industries, the local/suburban transit industry employed a higher number of older workers — nearly 7,000 older workers.
• An example of an industry with a high turnover rate for workers 55 years and older is agricultural services.
• An example of an industry with a low turnover rate for older workers is electrical, gas and sanitary services.
• Industries where workers 65 years and over are most likely to be employed include the service industries of business services, health services, and eating and drinking places.
• On average, in 2002, for workers 65 years and over, 10,085 jobs were created and 15,729 were lost.
• Of the industries that employed more than 1,000 workers 65 years and older, the highest paying was legal services ($5,845 per month). The industry with the highest average monthly earnings in 2002 for workers 65 years and older was holding/other investment offices ($11,932), but the number of such workers was only 377.