Watch Out For Falling... Prosperity

The 2007 Report on Illinois Poverty further contributes to the understanding of our regional poverty that I wrote about recently.

I’ll cite a few statistics from the report:

1) 12% of population lives in poverty.
2) One in four young Illinois adults lack health insurance.
3) Nearly 700,000 Illinoisans struggle in extreme poverty.
4) 85% of Illinois counties had increases in poverty in the last year.
5) 27 counties have no county-wide public transit service.
6) Illinois ranks as the worst state in the Midwest on:

• Earnings and job quality performance.


• Overall rate of uninsured people.


• Rate of poverty of uninsured residents.


• Most expensive rent for a 2-bedroom apartment.


• Wage needed to afford a 2-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent.


• Rate of children in households where the head did not finish high school.


• Reading and math achievement between poor and non-poor 4th & 8th graders.


• Per pupil spending gap between rich and poor districts. (The gap is the 2nd largest in the nation)

Gender Fact

• Illinois women make only 70% of what their male counterparts make.

Regional Facts

• 8 of the 10 poorest counties are in southern Illinois.


• 18 of the state’s 25 counties on the Poverty Watch List are in southern Illinois.

Jackson County Facts

• 10,723 people living in poverty.


• Unemployment rate equals state average.


• 10.8% teen birth rate vs. 9.9% statewide.


• Poverty rate of 20.2% (and rising) vs. 11.9% statewide.


• Average wage per job of $27,268 vs. $43,135 statewide.


• 47% of households rent vs. 33% statewide.


• 73.8% high school graduation rate vs. 76.5% statewide.


• 48.4% of children eligible for free or reduced-price lunches vs. 45.5% statewide.

Read the Report for Policy recommendations or comment here with your ultimate answer to the problems.