Illinois Income Statistics
Illinois Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a state's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Illinois Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Wealthiest and Least Wealthy Counties in Illinois
- Kendall County (122% of U.S. avg)
- Monroe County (122% of U.S. avg)
- DuPage County (121% of U.S. avg)
- Alexander County (75% of U.S. avg)
- Pope County (76% of U.S. avg)
- Pulaski County (76% of U.S. avg)
Ranked by the Map AI Wealth Index, which combines income, employment, and income inequality metrics.
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Illinois | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Illinois is about 4% higher than in US. Income has been growing slower in Illinois (4.5%/yr) than in US (4.8%/yr).
About 15% of adults in Illinois earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the US average of 14%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Illinois grew by 51.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $84,042 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Illinois
| Metric | Illinois | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Illinois, it is 0.547, lower than US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $485,310 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Illinois has narrowed from about 25% to 19% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $941 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Illinois | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 388,323 people are unemployed in Illinois.
The average commute time in Illinois is 23 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in US.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Illinois has fallen from 9.3% to 5.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.8% in 2023.
Illinois Wealth Compared With Nearby States
Illinois is the largest of the 6 states compared here, 12,692,444 residents against a local median of 5,910,864. Where Illinois breaks from the states next to it is unemployment, sitting 46% above the local median of 4.0% at 5.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $84,042 against a local median of $71,967, 17% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Illinois is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The states themselves spread 1.6% on unemployment, so Illinois sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Illinois has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 12,692,444 | $84,042 #1/6 | 4.5%/yr #4/6 | 5.8% #6/6 | 0.547 #5/6 |
| Indiana | 6,845,048 | $71,967 | 4.5%/yr | 4.3% | 0.534 |
| Missouri | 6,186,340 | $70,801 | 4.6%/yr | 4.0% | 0.532 |
| Wisconsin | 5,910,864 | $77,698 | 4.4%/yr | 3.2% | 0.503 |
| Kentucky | 4,533,530 | $64,312 | 4.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.547 |
| Iowa | 3,204,793 | $75,133 | 4.0%/yr | 3.6% | 0.510 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Illinois has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Illinois.
How Wealthy Is Illinois?
Illinois has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $84,042, about 4% higher than the US average of $80,455.
How fast is household income rising in Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Illinois rose 52%, from $55,433 to $84,042. Over the same years, income here lagged behind the U.S. as a whole: +52% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Illinois in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Illinois was $82,182, up 4% from $78,833 in 2022. The US median that year was $78,147.
What was the median household income in Illinois in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Illinois was $68,848. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $84,042.
What is the Gini coefficient in Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Illinois is 0.547. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Illinois has narrowed from about 25% to 19% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $941 since 2009.
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