University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign

Income: Where are the Highest and Lowest Incomes in Illinois?

This map can help provide context for those who are interested in understanding family income distribution across Illinois for the purpose of improving access to early childhood services and programs.

Where are the highest and lowest incomes in Illinois?

This map shows the percentage of households within high ($200,000 or more) and low (less than $25,000) annual income ranges by census tract (or on a "neighborhood-level"). This is shown as a percentage of total households.

Using the map: You can zoom in and click on individual points to get a bar graph that shows the full range of income categories within the selected census tract. You can also toggle on/off income levels by clicking on the arrow icon. For example, if you wish to only see lower incomes (in red), you can uncheck the higher (blue) layer(s). 

Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates: Table B19001. The data layer is updated annually, so this map always shows the most current values from the U.S. Census Bureau. To find the layer used in this map and see the full metadata, visit this Living Atlas item. (Web Map by Lisa Berry/ESRI)

Additional information: 100% of federal poverty level (FPL) in 2021 was $26,500 for a household of four, so 800% of the FPL in 2021 was $212,000 for a household of four. Also note that the cost of living varies widely in different parts of the state.

According to the Pew Research Center, "middle-income” families in 2021 are those with an annual household income that was two-thirds to double the national median income in 2021, after incomes have been adjusted for household size. This equates to about $60,000 to $180,000 annually in 2021 dollars for a household of four.

For FPL data (0-50%, 0-100%, 0-130%, 0-185%, 0-200%, 0-400%) on various geographic levels, visit the IECAM online database. Note that the database does not include 0-800% FPL.