Poverty and living standards in Illinois, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 11.5% of people in Illinois lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 1,434,871 people; 25th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Illinois gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Illinois was 11.4% (1,415,838 people), so the rate is up 0.1 percentage points over five years; the national rate moved from 12.3% to 12.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children live in poverty in Illinois?
14.1% of children under 18 in Illinois were in poverty in 2024, about 374,339 children; 25th lowest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 14.9% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Illinois?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Illinois was 0.4802 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); 7th most unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Illinois are cost-burdened?
48.7% of renting households in Illinois spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 24.8% spent half or more; the 30% share is 23rd lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Illinois get food stamps?
13.4% of households in Illinois (682,969) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 13th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 41% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 55% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Illinois?
An average of 1,895,979 people in Illinois received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), down 2.0% on fiscal 2024 (1,935,645), according to USDA administrative data; nationally the average was 42.14 million.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow much are SNAP benefits in Illinois?
SNAP benefits paid in Illinois totaled $4.5 billion in fiscal 2025, an average of $195.85 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 11th largest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Illinois?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 14,576 people experiencing homelessness in Illinois, down 43.6% on 2024 (25,832) and up 42.9% on 2019 (10,199); 12th largest count among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 745,652).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many homeless people in Illinois sleep outside?
Of those counted in Illinois in January 2025, 12,502 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 2,074 (14.2%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 9th lowest unsheltered share among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 35.7%).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyWho is homeless in Illinois?
The January 2025 count in Illinois included 6,170 people in families with children, 3,719 children under 18, 1,808 chronically homeless individuals and 480 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Illinois are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 12.4% of households in Illinois were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; 18th highest among the 50 states and DC and not statistically different from the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in Illinois getting worse?
4.7% of households in Illinois had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 9.2% in 2018-20 and 12.5% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is +3.2 percentage points, a statistically significant increase.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Illinois compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Illinois ranks 27 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Nevada | 11.8% |
| 25 | Oregon | 11.7% |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | 11.6% |
| 27 | Illinois | 11.5% |
| 28 | Iowa | 11.2% |
| 29 | Kansas | 10.9% |
| 30 | North Dakota | 10.8% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Illinois ranks 27 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Arizona | 15.2% |
| 25 | California | 14.6% |
| 26 | Delaware | 14.2% |
| 27 | Illinois | 14.1% |
| 28 | Iowa | 13.1% |
| 29 | Oregon | 13.0% |
| 30 | Connecticut | 13.0% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Illinois ranks 7 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Louisiana | 0.4922 |
| 5 | California | 0.4852 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 0.4820 |
| 7 | Illinois | 0.4802 |
| 8 | Florida | 0.4799 |
| 9 | Texas | 0.4792 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 0.4782 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Illinois ranks 29 of 51, highest first. Share of renter households for which the ratio can be computed
| Rank | Region | Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | New Hampshire | 49.4% |
| 27 | Virginia | 49.3% |
| 28 | Vermont | 48.8% |
| 29 | Illinois | 48.7% |
| 30 | Indiana | 48.5% |
| 31 | New Mexico | 48.4% |
| 32 | Idaho | 48.4% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Illinois ranks 12 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Oklahoma | 14.0% |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 13.9% |
| 11 | California | 13.5% |
| 12 | Illinois | 13.4% |
| 13 | Kentucky | 13.4% |
| 14 | Michigan | 13.2% |
| 15 | Alabama | 13.1% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Illinois ranks 18 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Oregon | 12.8% |
| 16 | Missouri | 12.7% |
| 17 | Nevada | 12.5% |
| 18 | Illinois | 12.4% |
| 19 | New York | 12.3% |
| 20 | Indiana | 12.2% |
| 21 | Florida | 12.0% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Illinois ranks 12 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | North Carolina | 15,512 |
| 10 | Arizona | 15,259 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 14,834 |
| 12 | Illinois | 14,576 |
| 13 | New Jersey | 13,714 |
| 14 | Georgia | 12,284 |
| 15 | Ohio | 12,196 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Illinois ranks 43 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Michigan | 16.9% |
| 41 | District of Columbia | 15.5% |
| 42 | New Jersey | 14.5% |
| 43 | Illinois | 14.2% |
| 44 | Maryland | 12.7% |
| 45 | Maine | 11.6% |
| 46 | Nebraska | 10.8% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Illinois ranks 6 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Florida | 3,011,486 |
| 4 | New York | 2,958,255 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 1,964,591 |
| 6 | Illinois | 1,895,979 |
| 7 | Georgia | 1,528,094 |
| 8 | Michigan | 1,490,110 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 1,439,835 |
More on Illinois: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gini index of income inequality (B19083), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc8a2b21190b…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Receipt of food stamps/SNAP by poverty status for households (B22003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53dc663e0426…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gross rent as a percentage of household income (B25070), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 edf1abe1970b…)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 (ERR-337), tables 4 and 5: food insecurity by State, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0eebe273d83…)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: 2007-2025 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness by State (2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c04ebcbe51c8…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2019 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 229d90cb3e05…)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, fiscal years 1969 to current (FY24.xlsx and FY25.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d31418fd3b4b…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.