Illinois Poverty Levels Continue To Surge Upward, New Data Shows

Some depressing statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau Tuesday show that Illinois is currently home to more poor people than was the case nearly two decades ago.

As the Chicago Sun-Times reports, more than 1.82 million people lived at or below the poverty level in Illinois last year compared to 1.69 million in the year before -- percentage-wise, that's an increase of 14.1 percent from 13.2 percent in 2009.

While Illinois' poverty rate is high, it is still lower than the current national average, which is a whopping 15.1 percent, or just more than 46 million Americans. The number is the highest-ever since the Census Bureau began reporting poverty rates in 1959.

The number of uninsured Illinois residents is also on the rise. The Sun-Times reports that 1.91 million people, or 14.8 percent of the state's population last year are without health insurance, up from 14.2 percent or 1.81 million in 2009. Relatedly, the number of long-term unemployed Illinoisans, those who have not found a job in more than 26 weeks of searching, is also at a near-record high.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the poverty figures are being felt locally at food pantries, low-income resource centers and homeless shelters throughout the Chicagoland area. Bob Dolgan, a spokesman for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, said his organization, which operates some 650 shelters and pantries in the area said they've serviced 5.1 million individual visits during the most recent fiscal year. Three years ago, that number was only 3.2 million.

As recently as 1999, the Illinois' poverty rate was just 10.7 percent. According to a report issued late last year by the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights, emphasized that child poverty rates and "extreme poverty" rates -- the number of those living on less than half the federal poverty threshold -- has also been steadily on the rise over the past decade.

The Census Bureau defines poverty as having a household income of $11,139 or less for one person and $22,314 for a family of four. Without unemployment insurance or other government assistance, the reported poverty rate would have been even higher.

According to the Associated Press, University of Chicago professor Bruce Meyer said the worst still be coming down the pike in terms of poverty levels both in Illinois and nationwide as demand continues to increase for food stamps and other government assistance -- a safety net that is under serious threat of drastic cutbacks given the state's dire financial straits.

Photo by gregorywass via Flickr.

Comments

[mcartri]

11:45 AM on 09/15/2011

Enough of this depressing stuff! The Koch brothers, who inherited their money by choosing billionaire parents, just bought another pair of matching yachts. Said the older brother, "We're looking to buy a couple more governors and a president next. Poverty builds character we've heard."

[Delaware22]

01:51 AM on 09/15/2011

Sad, sad day in our American history. Poverty on the rise; and, yet, the GOP continues to push for tax breaks for the wealthiest among us, sad. The GOP economic plan hasn't worked. The "job creators" haven't created any jobs, despite their numerous tax breaks. Time to invest in our people...a healthy, well-educated electorate is the key to success. Contrary to what the GOP believes, I am my brother's keeper. Education, health care and jobs will combat poverty; so, let's get to work by enacting Pres. Obama's jobs plan and move on from there.

[mzahir]

11:24 PM on 09/14/2011

Hardly any state is in good shape, red & blue both. Almost all of them have around 15 percent poor people, more or less.
Obama & congress will have to revisit the economic & tax polices that have encouraged businesses to keep their money abroad, create jobs abroad, invest abroad, and train foreigners instead of retraining American graduates & skilled workers.

[corwin]

01:57 AM on 10/21/2011

Gee,this is an incisive post.No sense in cluttering it with 'facts'. This is HP.Still,I continually get recruiting letters. They are generally(well,always) from Red states. They generally offer about 150 K more than I'm making now.They are where the Smart People are moving,so there will be intellectual (near) equals.Still, I plan to visit here,as much to witness Atlas Shrugging as to go to Rush Street.
It's fascinating to watch folks clinging to beliefs in the face of reality

[lakefront liberal]

11:23 PM on 09/14/2011

What some of you right wingers don't seem to realize is that the Illinois poverty rate is actually lower than the national average, and the Indiana poverty rate AND educational attainment rate is worse than Illinois, so I don't see that state as some kind of business paradise, unless you're looking for low income workers. This shows that the safety net works better here than in some states.

What's unfortunate is that this recession/depression has reached new lows for almost everyone. The policy of "trickle down economics" of the last 30 years has been a disaster for middle class and low income Americans, but great for the so called "job creaters," who have enjoyed ever widening income gaps over everyone else. These people live in a globalized world completely separate from everyone else, and are able to exploit labor and governments throughout the US and the world to achieve their ends. Illinois is nothing but a speck on their radars. They play states and countries off of one another, asking them to give all sorts of incentives, whether it be tax breaks, relaxed environmental and labor laws, or permissions to exploit their natural resources just so "the little people" can have a few jobs. This is what this world has become, and the inter-state nitpicking between Democrat or Republican governemnts is laughable in this context.

[Gottlieb]

10:58 PM on 09/14/2011

The right wing noise machine is busy commenting so here are some facts from the US Census report.

llinois = 14.1% poverty rate
US = 15.1% poverty rate
Indiana = 16.3% poverty rate
Texas = 17.1% poverty rate

Table B. People in Poverty
2009 2010 Change in poverty
Number Percent Number Percent Number Perecnt
Region
U.S. 43,569 14.3 46,180 15.1 *2,611 *0.8
Northeast 6,650 12.2 6,987 12.8 336 0.6
Midwest. 8,768 13.3 9,148 13.9 380 0.6
South 17,609 15.7 19,072 16.9 *1,463 *1.2
West 10,542 14.8 10,973 15.3 431 0.5

*Statistically different from zero at the 90 percent confidence level.

The comment area is not holding my tabs so sorry about the scrunched numbers but you can go to the source documents listed below.

http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf is the full publication.

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb11-157.html has a summary but links to tables.

The little echoes from the right wing noise machine appear to lack reading and math skills but make up for their ignorance with vile comments.

[Criss Strokes]

11:53 AM on 09/15/2011

The tea-baggers never seem to be aware of the facts.

[corwin]

02:13 AM on 10/21/2011

SOme of us understand a little calculus,not just statistics.The rate of change and direction of the rate show poverty rising,income falling in Illinois,and the opposite for Indiana.Underlying problems are worse.Indiana has just had a huge increase in the number of chartes.half of Illinois PS studints,er studdents,I mean studntx have failed their yearly exams.
Preteend you're a Smart Person. (Well,try! You can pretend,can't you.)Why would you move your family to Illinois ? Things are bad,getting worse,and there is a large part of the population that opposes change.It's easier to find where other Smart People live and ask them.
Criss.I don't know everything,but I know the best way to find if a state is thriving is the bond rating.Have a look at Illinois'

[mzahir]

09:49 PM on 09/14/2011

Why is government still accepting new H1Bs when most of the states have poverty level higher that 15 percent?
My understanding is the economic climate is not friendly for businesses to keep their dollars in America, invest to create jobs in America, retrain American workers instead of foreign workers.

Operations have been moving out of country through business groups that manage operations as service. And these businesses use companies that run the operations at well known overseas locations.
It sad when you see young Americans begging on streets with a board display.
I think it is high time that Obama & congress together turn all those levers to to make the environment more conducive to investment that create jobs.
When outsourcing started, we saw several building becoming vacant in no time.
I think if the process is reversed it will take no time to fill up these vacant buildings with employees.
Employment means good economy, stock price gains have meant jobless recovery in the past many years.

[wssweeps]

09:41 PM on 09/14/2011

Almost every elected official in Illinois is a Democrat. Is this the rev. wrights --chickens coming home to roost.?

[aceempress]

08:54 PM on 09/14/2011

But the tax cuts for the job creators are working? Right? Any time now. Our taxes are the lowest they've been in fifty years. I'm sure those jobs will happen anytime now. Oh, yeah, they're being created in China. But we need MORE taxes for billionaires and corporations. That'll fix everything. We just need to keep doing what we've been doing. It's been working fine, except for the middle class and poor. Keep watching that reality TV. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. War is good. Global warming is a myth. Watch Fox so you'll be mad at other poor people because you can't get a job.

[corwin]

09:51 PM on 09/14/2011

Ace,
Diffidently, I have to point out to you,a 'talking point' is not the same as a 'Fact".IT's true the maximum Federal income tax is lower,but,in contrast to say,the 50's ,the actual payment rate is higher. (And,this is not including the FICA-16%.and state,county,city,street-a little humor there -taxes in places like Chicago. In the 50's (Sunday,Monday,Happy Days) tax shelters were known and designed to buffer the tax rates.If ,you'd care to have some evidence,look at all the U Hauls heading on 94 to Indiana.
ANd,not only are they taking potential jobs,but the average IQ of Illinois drops when ever a Republican leaves

[corwin]

10:00 PM on 09/14/2011

And,Acey-just to finish, my first initials are Dr.I was asked to get my Ph in physics,but really wanted a bit more person contact in my life.My field isn't atmospheric physics. I don't have enough time,nor enough math to do a critical read of a paper.(It's kind of like 'Superstring Theory. It's interesting,but all I could do is parrot) Freeman Dyson is probably the brightest person I've ever met ("Who's he.?He's not smarter than Obama! ") He has huge doubts about AGW. A debate between Dyson a fmr VP Gore wouldn't be sanctioned by the boxing commission.For whatever reason.your insecurities seem driven to take strong positions you can't really defend. I'd suggest you be more quiet.Because,remember what Moms say,"If you don't open your mouth,they can't be sure ."
Corwin.Cruel. But,also Kind

[KCBOSOX]

07:34 PM on 09/14/2011

Keep electing the wrong people and you get what you deserve!!!

[pink4004]

07:21 PM on 09/14/2011

Poverty has risen in all states....not just Illinois

[smallpawsdk]

07:02 PM on 09/14/2011

The Republican's are the cause of this. They keep blocking everything that come thru for one reason ONLY. A one term potus. They don't care if you can eat or put a roof over your head. Wake people!!!Read and learn what their doing to you.

[corwin]

05:43 PM on 09/14/2011

If the top 15 of Illinois citizens-in terms of IQ-drive towards Austin at 66 MPH, when does reality hit the Democrats
a) Never.No one in the top !% even knows a Democrat,so why would they notice
b)When Hannity talks about it on his show
c) When Rachel (chuckle ) Maddow denies it's happening on her show.
d) Can we use calculators?
It's Cruel to be Kind to you guys.But,it's also a very good sign

[bidensaidwhat]

04:29 PM on 09/14/2011

and the poverty rates in Wisconsin and Indiana ? SpecialEdSchultz , where is your outrage at Durbin , Schakowsky,Cook County, Chicago, Cullerton, QUINN, Rahm,,,,, and the Obama Axelrod Chicago machine ?

[eddy joe]

03:57 PM on 09/14/2011

1.82 million in poverty, in Illinois. ONE POINT EIGHT TWO MILLION IN POVERTY, IN ILLINOIS!!!!

[corwin]

05:37 PM on 09/14/2011

It almost makes one wonder if the Smart People weren't right doesn't it?.No?

[Gottlieb]

10:53 PM on 09/14/2011

Illinois = 14.1% poverty rate
US = 15.1% poverty rate
Indiana = 16.3% poverty rate
Texas = 17.1% poverty rate

I recommend you work on your reading and math skills before pronouncing your lack of knowledge on a subject. Most Blue states have lower poverty rates than Red States.

Table B. People in Poverty
2009 2010 Change in poverty
Number Percent Number Percent Number Perecnt
Region
U.S. 43,569 14.3 46,180 15.1 *2,611 *0.8
Northeast 6,650 12.2 6,987 12.8 336 0.6
Midwest. 8,768 13.3 9,148 13.9 380 0.6
South 17,609 15.7 19,072 16.9 *1,463 *1.2
West 10,542 14.8 10,973 15.3 431 0.5

*Statistically different from zero at the 90 percent confidence level.

You political bias is showing.

You are so wrong.

[rozalindb]

11:25 PM on 09/14/2011

Okay, you've embarrassed yourself enough, Corwin. Here's what I think: you're an insecure guy who need to put down other people to feel superior. No other theory works when I try to parse your sentences or follow your logic. Say goodnight. That's the really kind thing to do.