Data / Rankings / Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) / Counties in Illinois

Counties in Illinois by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

Alexander County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 102 counties in 2020, at 36.5%. Monroe County had the lowest, at 3.5%. The median was 14.9% and the figure for Illinois was 13.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest36.5Alexander County
Lowest3.5Monroe County
Median14.9102 counties
Illinois13.9History

Map of counties, 2020

Adams County: 13.2 %Alexander County: 36.5 %Bond County: 14.7 %Boone County: 10.6 %Brown County: 11.3 %Bureau County: 14.1 %Calhoun County: 11.9 %Carroll County: 15.1 %Cass County: 15.5 %Champaign County: 15.4 %Christian County: 14.9 %Clark County: 14.8 %Clay County: 18.5 %Clinton County: 7.5 %Coles County: 17.5 %Cook County: 16.6 %Crawford County: 14.6 %Cumberland County: 11.3 %DeKalb County: 11.2 %De Witt County: 13.2 %Douglas County: 11.5 %DuPage County: 6.3 %Edgar County: 17.6 %Edwards County: 13.9 %Effingham County: 11.4 %Fayette County: 18.6 %Ford County: 13.5 %Franklin County: 21 %Fulton County: 16.5 %Gallatin County: 21.1 %Greene County: 17.3 %Grundy County: 7.4 %Hamilton County: 19.1 %Hancock County: 15.6 %Hardin County: 27.8 %Henderson County: 14.5 %Henry County: 12.4 %Iroquois County: 14 %Jackson County: 24.2 %Jasper County: 12.8 %Jefferson County: 18.8 %Jersey County: 11.8 %Jo Daviess County: 11.6 %Johnson County: 16.5 %Kane County: 8.9 %Kankakee County: 17.3 %Kendall County: 4 %Knox County: 18.3 %Lake County: 8.3 %LaSalle County: 15.5 %Lawrence County: 17.7 %Lee County: 12.7 %Livingston County: 12.9 %Logan County: 14.6 %McDonough County: 18.8 %McHenry County: 7.3 %McLean County: 9.8 %Macon County: 18 %Macoupin County: 14.5 %Madison County: 12.6 %Marion County: 20.9 %Marshall County: 12.3 %Mason County: 20 %Massac County: 22.9 %Menard County: 10.8 %Mercer County: 12.1 %Monroe County: 3.5 %Montgomery County: 17.1 %Morgan County: 15.1 %Moultrie County: 11.8 %Ogle County: 11.1 %Peoria County: 19.7 %Perry County: 16.5 %Piatt County: 7.1 %Pike County: 18.1 %Pope County: 22.9 %Pulaski County: 31.6 %Putnam County: 11.5 %Randolph County: 15.5 %Richland County: 15.7 %Rock Island County: 18.8 %St. Clair County: 19.3 %Saline County: 21.4 %Sangamon County: 16.2 %Schuyler County: 14.6 %Scott County: 17.3 %Shelby County: 12 %Stark County: 15.4 %Stephenson County: 17.2 %Tazewell County: 9.3 %Union County: 18.6 %Vermilion County: 29.2 %Wabash County: 13.9 %Warren County: 14.2 %Washington County: 9.1 %Wayne County: 19 %White County: 20.4 %Whiteside County: 13.8 %Will County: 9 %Williamson County: 18 %Winnebago County: 20.1 %Woodford County: 6.7 %
  • Under 11
  • 11 to 13
  • 13 to 15
  • 15 to 17
  • 17 to 19
  • 19 and over
%, 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2020

Alexander County: 36.5 %Alexander County36.5Pulaski County: 31.6 %Pulaski County31.6Vermilion County: 29.2 %Vermilion County29.2Hardin County: 27.8 %Hardin County27.8Jackson County: 24.2 %Jackson County24.2Massac County: 22.9 %Massac County22.9Pope County: 22.9 %Pope County22.9Saline County: 21.4 %Saline County21.4Gallatin County: 21.1 %Gallatin County21.1Franklin County: 21 %Franklin County21Marion County: 20.9 %Marion County20.9White County: 20.4 %White County20.4Winnebago County: 20.1 %Winnebago County20.1Mason County: 20 %Mason County20Peoria County: 19.7 %Peoria County19.7St. Clair County: 19.3 %St. Clair County19.3Hamilton County: 19.1 %Hamilton County19.1Wayne County: 19 %Wayne County19Jefferson County: 18.8 %Jefferson County18.8McDonough County: 18.8 %McDonough County18.8Rock Island County: 18.8 %Rock Island County18.8Fayette County: 18.6 %Fayette County18.6Union County: 18.6 %Union County18.6Clay County: 18.5 %Clay County18.5Knox County: 18.3 %Knox County18.3Pike County: 18.1 %Pike County18.1Macon County: 18 %Macon County18Williamson County: 18 %Williamson County18Lawrence County: 17.7 %Lawrence County17.7Edgar County: 17.6 %Edgar County17.6Coles County: 17.5 %Coles County17.5Greene County: 17.3 %Greene County17.3Kankakee County: 17.3 %Kankakee County17.3Scott County: 17.3 %Scott County17.3Stephenson County: 17.2 %Stephenson County17.2Montgomery County: 17.1 %Montgomery County17.1Cook County: 16.6 %Cook County16.6Fulton County: 16.5 %Fulton County16.5Johnson County: 16.5 %Johnson County16.5Perry County: 16.5 %Perry County16.5Alexander County: 36.5 %Alexander County36.5Pulaski County: 31.6 %Pulaski County31.6Vermilion County: 29.2 %Vermilion County29.2Hardin County: 27.8 %Hardin County27.8Jackson County: 24.2 %Jackson County24.2Massac County: 22.9 %Massac County22.9Pope County: 22.9 %Pope County22.9Saline County: 21.4 %Saline County21.4Gallatin County: 21.1 %Gallatin County21.1Franklin County: 21 %Franklin County21Marion County: 20.9 %Marion County20.9White County: 20.4 %White County20.4Winnebago County: 20.1 %Winnebago County20.1Mason County: 20 %Mason County20Peoria County: 19.7 %Peoria County19.7St. Clair County: 19.3 %St. Clair County19.3Hamilton County: 19.1 %Hamilton County19.1Wayne County: 19 %Wayne County19Jefferson County: 18.8 %Jefferson County18.8McDonough County: 18.8 %McDonough County18.8Rock Island County: 18.8 %Rock Island County18.8Fayette County: 18.6 %Fayette County18.6Union County: 18.6 %Union County18.6Clay County: 18.5 %Clay County18.5Knox County: 18.3 %Knox County18.3Pike County: 18.1 %Pike County18.1Macon County: 18 %Macon County18Williamson County: 18 %Williamson County18Lawrence County: 17.7 %Lawrence County17.7Edgar County: 17.6 %Edgar County17.6Coles County: 17.5 %Coles County17.5Greene County: 17.3 %Greene County17.3Kankakee County: 17.3 %Kankakee County17.3Scott County: 17.3 %Scott County17.3Stephenson County: 17.2 %Stephenson County17.2Montgomery County: 17.1 %Montgomery County17.1Cook County: 16.6 %Cook County16.6Fulton County: 16.5 %Fulton County16.5Johnson County: 16.5 %Johnson County16.5Perry County: 16.5 %Perry County16.5
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Alexander County36.5-2.4 pts
2Pulaski County31.6-2.4 pts
3Vermilion County29.2+2.2 pts
4Hardin County27.8-0.9 pts
5Jackson County24.2-3.8 pts
6Massac County22.9-1 pts
6Pope County22.9-0.1 pts
8Saline County21.4-3.2 pts
9Gallatin County21.1-5.1 pts
10Franklin County21-2.4 pts
11Marion County20.9-1.9 pts
12White County20.4-0.1 pts
13Winnebago County20.1-6.5 pts
14Mason County20+0.4 pts
15Peoria County19.7-2.2 pts
16St. Clair County19.3-0.7 pts
17Hamilton County19.1+1.7 pts
18Wayne County19-3.5 pts
19Jefferson County18.8-5 pts
19McDonough County18.8-4.2 pts
19Rock Island County18.8-2.4 pts
22Fayette County18.6-3.1 pts
22Union County18.6-6.1 pts
24Clay County18.5+0.1 pts
25Knox County18.3-5.9 pts
26Pike County18.1-2.4 pts
27Macon County18-3.5 pts
27Williamson County18-0.4 pts
29Lawrence County17.7-7.7 pts
30Edgar County17.6-3 pts
31Coles County17.5-0.9 pts
32Greene County17.3-1.8 pts
32Kankakee County17.3-1 pts
32Scott County17.3+0.5 pts
35Stephenson County17.2-1.2 pts
36Montgomery County17.1-4.5 pts
37Cook County16.6-1.6 pts
38Fulton County16.5-1.6 pts
38Johnson County16.5-0.3 pts
38Perry County16.5-1.8 pts
41Sangamon County16.2-1.8 pts
42Richland County15.7-1.9 pts
43Hancock County15.6-2.5 pts
44Cass County15.5-0.2 pts
44LaSalle County15.5-2.6 pts
44Randolph County15.5-1.4 pts
47Champaign County15.4-3.4 pts
47Stark County15.4-2 pts
49Carroll County15.1-1.9 pts
49Morgan County15.1-2.2 pts
51Christian County14.9-2.3 pts
52Clark County14.8-0.7 pts
53Bond County14.7-2.2 pts
54Crawford County14.6-1.2 pts
54Logan County14.6-1.7 pts
54Schuyler County14.6-1.9 pts
57Henderson County14.5-2.4 pts
57Macoupin County14.5-3.8 pts
59Warren County14.2-0.7 pts
60Bureau County14.1+0.1 pts
61Iroquois County14-1.2 pts
62Edwards County13.9-1.3 pts
62Wabash County13.9-3.8 pts
64Whiteside County13.8-3 pts
65Ford County13.5-0.8 pts
66Adams County13.2-5.1 pts
66De Witt County13.2-3.4 pts
68Livingston County12.9-5.1 pts
69Jasper County12.8-1.5 pts
70Lee County12.7-4.1 pts
71Madison County12.6-2.3 pts
72Henry County12.4-0.1 pts
73Marshall County12.3-1.5 pts
74Mercer County12.1-0.3 pts
75Shelby County12-0.9 pts
76Calhoun County11.9-0.8 pts
77Jersey County11.8-2.6 pts
77Moultrie County11.8-0.8 pts
79Jo Daviess County11.6-1.2 pts
80Douglas County11.5+0.1 pts
80Putnam County11.5-2.1 pts
82Effingham County11.4-0.2 pts
83Brown County11.3-2.1 pts
83Cumberland County11.3-3.1 pts
85DeKalb County11.2-0.7 pts
86Ogle County11.1-1.9 pts
87Menard County10.8-2 pts
88Boone County10.6-1.6 pts
89McLean County9.8+0.2 pts
90Tazewell County9.3-0.6 pts
91Washington County9.1-2 pts
92Will County90 pts
93Kane County8.9-4.1 pts
94Lake County8.3-2 pts
95Clinton County7.5-1.3 pts
96Grundy County7.4+0.4 pts
97McHenry County7.3+0.7 pts
98Piatt County7.1-0.4 pts
99Woodford County6.7-0.2 pts
100DuPage County6.3-1.1 pts
101Kendall County4-1.3 pts
102Monroe County3.5-0.3 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in Illinois by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Illinois by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/illinois-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in Illinois by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/illinois-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Illinois by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/illinois-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_illinois_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Illinois by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/illinois-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Illinois by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/illinois-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/illinois-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Illinois by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Alexander County, with 36.5% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Monroe County, with 3.5% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Illinois: more rankings