The Rational Moderate

State profile

Illinois

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with Illinois’ rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    12,719,141

    U.S.
    341,784,857; Illinois is 3.7% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    6 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    +0.13%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; Illinois is 0.39 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    42 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    39.7 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; Illinois is 0.3 years higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    24 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $83,211

    plus or minus $898

    U.S.
    $81,604; Illinois is $1,607 higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    19 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Rhode Island, or from the next lower state, Vermont.
    Price-adjusted
    $83,246, plus or minus $898: income divided by Illinois’ 2024 regional price parity (100.0, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $78,987

    U.S.
    $77,028; Illinois is $1,959 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    15 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $60,333

    U.S.
    $59,195; Illinois is $1,138 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    17 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $97,568

    U.S.
    $90,294; Illinois is $7,274 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    11 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    11.58%

    plus or minus 0.25%

    U.S.
    12.15%; Illinois is 0.57 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    25 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Arizona, or from the next lower state, Nevada.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    100.0

    U.S.
    100.0; Illinois is the same as the U.S. value at the precision shown (not tested).
    Rank
    19 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $280,700

    plus or minus $1,768

    U.S.
    $360,600; Illinois is $79,900 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    34 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, New Mexico.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $1,322

    plus or minus $12

    U.S.
    $1,487; Illinois is $165 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    25 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, North Carolina, or from the next lower state, Vermont.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    48.75%

    plus or minus 0.99%

    U.S.
    51.77%; Illinois is 3.02 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    29 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Vermont, or from the next lower state, Indiana.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    67.57%

    plus or minus 0.42%

    U.S.
    65.27%; Illinois is 2.30 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    29 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Arizona, or from the next lower state, Virginia.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    19.22 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; Illinois is 1.03 cents higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    16 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    19.22 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, Illinois and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

6 cents8 cents10 cents12 cents14 cents16 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearIllinoisUnited States
19909.927.83
19919.878.04
199210.298.21
199310.288.32
19949.988.38
199510.378.40
199610.348.36
199710.438.43
19989.858.26
19998.838.16
20008.838.24
20018.718.58
20028.398.44
20038.388.72
20048.378.95
20058.349.45
20068.4210.40
200710.1210.65
200811.0711.26
200911.2711.51
201011.5211.54
201111.7811.72
201211.3811.88
201310.6312.13
201411.9112.52
201512.5012.65
201612.5412.55
201712.9512.89
201812.7712.87
201913.0313.01
202013.0413.15
202113.1813.66
202215.6515.04
202315.7116.00
202415.8716.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    4.7%

    U.S.
    4.1%; Illinois is 0.6 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    9 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    63.1%

    U.S.
    61.6%; Illinois is 1.5 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    18 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, Illinois and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Illinois: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthIllinoisUnited States
Sept. 20165.75.0
Oct. 20165.74.9
Nov. 20165.64.7
Dec. 20165.44.7
Jan. 20175.34.7
Feb. 20175.14.6
March 20175.04.4
April 20175.04.4
May 20174.94.4
June 20174.94.3
July 20175.04.3
Aug. 20175.04.4
Sept. 20174.94.3
Oct. 20174.94.2
Nov. 20174.84.2
Dec. 20174.74.1
Jan. 20184.54.0
Feb. 20184.44.1
March 20184.44.0
April 20184.34.0
May 20184.33.8
June 20184.34.0
July 20184.33.8
Aug. 20184.33.8
Sept. 20184.43.7
Oct. 20184.43.8
Nov. 20184.53.8
Dec. 20184.63.9
Jan. 20194.64.0
Feb. 20194.53.8
March 20194.43.8
April 20194.23.7
May 20194.03.6
June 20193.93.6
July 20193.83.7
Aug. 20193.73.6
Sept. 20193.73.5
Oct. 20193.73.6
Nov. 20193.63.6
Dec. 20193.63.6
Jan. 20203.73.6
Feb. 20203.83.5
March 20205.14.4
April 202018.314.8
May 202014.713.2
June 202012.611.0
July 202011.410.2
Aug. 20209.78.4
Sept. 20209.17.8
Oct. 20208.26.9
Nov. 20207.86.7
Dec. 20207.66.7
Jan. 20217.26.4
Feb. 20217.06.2
March 20216.86.1
April 20216.76.1
May 20216.65.8
June 20216.45.9
July 20216.25.4
Aug. 20215.95.1
Sept. 20215.54.7
Oct. 20215.24.5
Nov. 20214.94.1
Dec. 20214.83.9
Jan. 20224.74.0
Feb. 20224.73.9
March 20224.63.7
April 20224.63.7
May 20224.63.6
June 20224.53.6
July 20224.53.5
Aug. 20224.53.6
Sept. 20224.53.5
Oct. 20224.63.6
Nov. 20224.53.6
Dec. 20224.53.5
Jan. 20234.43.5
Feb. 20234.33.6
March 20234.23.5
April 20234.23.4
May 20234.23.6
June 20234.33.6
July 20234.43.5
Aug. 20234.63.7
Sept. 20234.73.7
Oct. 20234.83.9
Nov. 20234.83.7
Dec. 20234.83.8
Jan. 20244.93.7
Feb. 20244.93.9
March 20245.03.9
April 20245.13.9
May 20245.13.9
June 20245.14.1
July 20245.14.2
Aug. 20245.14.2
Sept. 20245.04.1
Oct. 20244.94.1
Nov. 20244.84.2
Dec. 20244.84.1
Jan. 20254.74.0
Feb. 20254.74.2
March 20254.64.2
April 20254.54.2
May 20254.44.3
June 20254.34.1
July 20254.34.3
Aug. 20254.34.3
Sept. 20254.54.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20254.74.5
Dec. 20254.74.4
Jan. 20264.94.3
Feb. 20265.04.4
March 20265.14.3
April 20265.14.3
May 20265.14.3
June 20265.14.2
July 20264.94.1
Aug. 20264.74.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, Illinois and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Illinois: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

60%61%62%63%64%65%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthIllinoisUnited States
Sept. 201665.162.9
Oct. 201665.062.8
Nov. 201664.962.7
Dec. 201664.862.7
Jan. 201764.762.8
Feb. 201764.662.9
March 201764.662.9
April 201764.663.0
May 201764.662.8
June 201764.662.8
July 201764.662.9
Aug. 201764.762.9
Sept. 201764.663.1
Oct. 201764.662.7
Nov. 201764.662.7
Dec. 201764.662.7
Jan. 201864.662.7
Feb. 201864.663.0
March 201864.762.9
April 201864.762.9
May 201864.762.9
June 201864.763.0
July 201864.663.0
Aug. 201864.662.6
Sept. 201864.662.8
Oct. 201864.762.9
Nov. 201864.762.9
Dec. 201864.863.0
Jan. 201964.963.1
Feb. 201964.963.1
March 201964.963.0
April 201964.862.8
May 201964.762.9
June 201964.763.0
July 201964.663.1
Aug. 201964.563.1
Sept. 201964.563.2
Oct. 201964.463.3
Nov. 201964.363.3
Dec. 201964.363.3
Jan. 202064.263.3
Feb. 202064.263.3
March 202063.662.6
April 202061.960.1
May 202062.260.8
June 202061.861.5
July 202062.161.5
Aug. 202061.961.7
Sept. 202062.261.4
Oct. 202062.161.7
Nov. 202062.261.5
Dec. 202062.361.5
Jan. 202162.361.4
Feb. 202162.461.4
March 202162.561.5
April 202162.761.6
May 202162.961.6
June 202163.061.7
July 202163.161.8
Aug. 202163.161.7
Sept. 202163.261.7
Oct. 202163.461.8
Nov. 202163.661.9
Dec. 202163.962.0
Jan. 202264.262.2
Feb. 202264.362.3
March 202264.462.4
April 202264.562.2
May 202264.462.3
June 202264.462.2
July 202264.462.1
Aug. 202264.262.3
Sept. 202264.262.2
Oct. 202264.162.2
Nov. 202264.162.1
Dec. 202264.162.3
Jan. 202364.162.4
Feb. 202364.262.5
March 202364.262.6
April 202364.262.6
May 202364.362.6
June 202364.362.6
July 202364.462.6
Aug. 202364.562.8
Sept. 202364.662.7
Oct. 202364.762.6
Nov. 202364.762.8
Dec. 202364.862.5
Jan. 202464.862.5
Feb. 202464.962.6
March 202464.962.7
April 202465.062.6
May 202465.162.6
June 202465.162.6
July 202465.162.7
Aug. 202465.162.7
Sept. 202465.162.7
Oct. 202465.062.5
Nov. 202465.062.4
Dec. 202464.962.5
Jan. 202564.862.6
Feb. 202564.862.5
March 202564.662.5
April 202564.562.6
May 202564.362.4
June 202564.262.3
July 202564.062.2
Aug. 202563.962.3
Sept. 202563.962.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202563.962.5
Dec. 202563.962.4
Jan. 202663.962.1
Feb. 202664.062.0
March 202664.061.9
April 202663.861.8
May 202663.761.8
June 202663.561.5
July 202663.361.4
Aug. 202663.161.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    77.5 years

    plus or minus 0.07 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; Illinois is 0.09 years higher than the U.S. value (both round to 77.5).
    Rank
    22 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Virginia.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    6.87%

    plus or minus 0.15%

    U.S.
    8.20%; Illinois is 1.33 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    29 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Delaware, or from the next lower state, Kentucky.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    39.23%

    plus or minus 0.35%

    U.S.
    36.85%; Illinois is 2.38 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    13 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Utah.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    65.9%

    plus or minus 3.0%

    U.S.
    65.3%; Illinois is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 0.6 points higher).
    Rank
    31 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, New Mexico, or from the next lower state, Idaho.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV