Cities in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Carbondale, IL had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 225 cities in 2023, at 36.9%. Pingree Grove, IL had the lowest, at 0.9%. The median was 8.8% and the figure for Illinois was 11.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest36.9Carbondale, IL
Median8.8225 cities
Illinois11.7History

Top 40 cities, 2023

Carbondale, IL: 36.9 %Carbondale, IL36.9East St. Louis, IL: 32.9 %East St. Louis, IL32.9Cahokia Heights, IL: 32.7 %Cahokia Heights, IL32.7Riverdale, IL: 32.3 %Riverdale, IL32.3Macomb, IL: 29.5 %Macomb, IL29.5Kankakee, IL: 27.8 %Kankakee, IL27.8DeKalb, IL: 25.7 %DeKalb, IL25.7Charleston, IL: 25.3 %Charleston, IL25.3Harvey, IL: 25.2 %Harvey, IL25.2Danville, IL: 25.1 %Danville, IL25.1Urbana, IL: 24.8 %Urbana, IL24.8Chicago Heights, IL: 24.7 %Chicago Heights, IL24.7Alton, IL: 24.5 %Alton, IL24.5Champaign, IL: 23.9 %Champaign, IL23.9Calumet City, IL: 23.3 %Calumet City, IL23.3Centralia, IL: 22.6 %Centralia, IL22.6North Chicago, IL: 21.9 %North Chicago, IL21.9Rockford, IL: 21.9 %Rockford, IL21.9Normal, IL: 21.5 %Normal, IL21.5Hazel Crest, IL: 21.4 %Hazel Crest, IL21.4Worth, IL: 21.1 %Worth, IL21.1Justice, IL: 21 %Justice, IL21Mattoon, IL: 21 %Mattoon, IL21Rock Island, IL: 21 %Rock Island, IL21Galesburg, IL: 20.7 %Galesburg, IL20.7Streator, IL: 20.6 %Streator, IL20.6Dolton, IL: 20.5 %Dolton, IL20.5Peoria, IL: 20 %Peoria, IL20Decatur, IL: 19.1 %Decatur, IL19.1Markham, IL: 18.9 %Markham, IL18.9Mount Vernon, IL: 18.7 %Mount Vernon, IL18.7Rantoul, IL: 18.7 %Rantoul, IL18.7Freeport, IL: 18.2 %Freeport, IL18.2Lincoln, IL: 18.2 %Lincoln, IL18.2East Moline, IL: 18.1 %East Moline, IL18.1Dixon, IL: 17.9 %Dixon, IL17.9Herrin, IL: 17.4 %Herrin, IL17.4Park Forest, IL: 17.2 %Park Forest, IL17.2Chicago Ridge, IL: 17 %Chicago Ridge, IL17Chicago, IL: 16.8 %Chicago, IL16.8Carbondale, IL: 36.9 %Carbondale, IL36.9East St. Louis, IL: 32.9 %East St. Louis, IL32.9Cahokia Heights, IL: 32.7 %Cahokia Heights, IL32.7Riverdale, IL: 32.3 %Riverdale, IL32.3Macomb, IL: 29.5 %Macomb, IL29.5Kankakee, IL: 27.8 %Kankakee, IL27.8DeKalb, IL: 25.7 %DeKalb, IL25.7Charleston, IL: 25.3 %Charleston, IL25.3Harvey, IL: 25.2 %Harvey, IL25.2Danville, IL: 25.1 %Danville, IL25.1Urbana, IL: 24.8 %Urbana, IL24.8Chicago Heights, IL: 24.7 %Chicago Heights, IL24.7Alton, IL: 24.5 %Alton, IL24.5Champaign, IL: 23.9 %Champaign, IL23.9Calumet City, IL: 23.3 %Calumet City, IL23.3Centralia, IL: 22.6 %Centralia, IL22.6North Chicago, IL: 21.9 %North Chicago, IL21.9Rockford, IL: 21.9 %Rockford, IL21.9Normal, IL: 21.5 %Normal, IL21.5Hazel Crest, IL: 21.4 %Hazel Crest, IL21.4Worth, IL: 21.1 %Worth, IL21.1Justice, IL: 21 %Justice, IL21Mattoon, IL: 21 %Mattoon, IL21Rock Island, IL: 21 %Rock Island, IL21Galesburg, IL: 20.7 %Galesburg, IL20.7Streator, IL: 20.6 %Streator, IL20.6Dolton, IL: 20.5 %Dolton, IL20.5Peoria, IL: 20 %Peoria, IL20Decatur, IL: 19.1 %Decatur, IL19.1Markham, IL: 18.9 %Markham, IL18.9Mount Vernon, IL: 18.7 %Mount Vernon, IL18.7Rantoul, IL: 18.7 %Rantoul, IL18.7Freeport, IL: 18.2 %Freeport, IL18.2Lincoln, IL: 18.2 %Lincoln, IL18.2East Moline, IL: 18.1 %East Moline, IL18.1Dixon, IL: 17.9 %Dixon, IL17.9Herrin, IL: 17.4 %Herrin, IL17.4Park Forest, IL: 17.2 %Park Forest, IL17.2Chicago Ridge, IL: 17 %Chicago Ridge, IL17Chicago, IL: 16.8 %Chicago, IL16.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Carbondale, IL36.9-1 pts
2East St. Louis, IL32.9+1.3 pts
3Cahokia Heights, IL32.7-8.6 pts
4Riverdale, IL32.3+0.9 pts
5Macomb, IL29.5+1.8 pts
6Kankakee, IL27.8-0.9 pts
7DeKalb, IL25.7-0.9 pts
8Charleston, IL25.3-1.3 pts
9Harvey, IL25.2+1 pts
10Danville, IL25.1-0.3 pts
11Urbana, IL24.8-2.9 pts
12Chicago Heights, IL24.7+1.4 pts
13Alton, IL24.5-0.1 pts
14Champaign, IL23.9+0.3 pts
15Calumet City, IL23.3+1.9 pts
16Centralia, IL22.6-0.9 pts
17North Chicago, IL21.9-0.1 pts
18Rockford, IL21.9-0.3 pts
19Normal, IL21.5-1.9 pts
20Hazel Crest, IL21.4-1.3 pts
21Worth, IL21.1+3.6 pts
22Justice, IL21-0.9 pts
22Mattoon, IL21-0.1 pts
24Rock Island, IL21-1.7 pts
25Galesburg, IL20.7+0.1 pts
26Streator, IL20.6-1.4 pts
27Dolton, IL20.5+0.3 pts
28Peoria, IL20+0.4 pts
29Decatur, IL19.1-0.3 pts
30Markham, IL18.9-4.3 pts
31Mount Vernon, IL18.7-0.4 pts
32Rantoul, IL18.7-1.8 pts
33Freeport, IL18.2-0.4 pts
34Lincoln, IL18.2+3.3 pts
35East Moline, IL18.1+3 pts
36Dixon, IL17.9-0.8 pts
37Herrin, IL17.4+4.5 pts
38Park Forest, IL17.2-0.1 pts
39Chicago Ridge, IL17-0.6 pts
40Chicago, IL16.8-0.1 pts
41Jacksonville, IL16.6-1.1 pts
42Zion, IL16.5+2 pts
43Springfield, IL16.5-0.2 pts
44Sterling, IL16.4+1.3 pts
45Granite City, IL16.4-2.2 pts
46Blue Island, IL16.1-2.5 pts
47Moline, IL16+0.5 pts
48Marion, IL16+0.9 pts
49Lansing, IL16-0.6 pts
50Belvidere, IL15.5+1.1 pts
51Quincy, IL15.4+0.4 pts
52Waukegan, IL15.3+0.3 pts
53Maywood, IL15.30 pts
54Kewanee, IL15.1-4.8 pts
55Loves Park, IL15-0.3 pts
56Belleville, IL14.9+0.1 pts
57Effingham, IL14.8-1.6 pts
58Taylorville, IL14.7-1.5 pts
59Ottawa, IL14.4-3.8 pts
60Canton, IL14-1 pts
61Hanover Park, IL13.7-0.9 pts
62Franklin Park, IL13.6-1 pts
63South Holland, IL13.4-0.7 pts
64Bridgeview, IL13.2-2.4 pts
65Machesney Park, IL13.1+2.1 pts
66Cicero, IL13.1-0 pts
66Wood River, IL13.1-6.4 pts
68Collinsville, IL130 pts
69Pekin, IL13-1.8 pts
70Fox Lake, IL12.6-1.3 pts
71West Chicago, IL12.1+0.1 pts
72Summit, IL12-1.4 pts
73Evanston, IL11.9+0.3 pts
74Beach Park, IL11.8-0.2 pts
75Westmont, IL11.4+0.3 pts
76Bellwood, IL11.4-0.2 pts
77Alsip, IL11.4+0.8 pts
78Midlothian, IL11.2+0.4 pts
79East Peoria, IL11.2+1.9 pts
80Bloomington, IL11.2-0.8 pts
80Edwardsville, IL11.2-3.3 pts
82Joliet, IL11+0.3 pts
83Warrenville, IL11+2.4 pts
84Crest Hill, IL10.9-0.2 pts
85Berwyn, IL10.9-0.2 pts
86Forest Park, IL10.8-0.5 pts
87Burbank, IL10.8-0.7 pts
88Round Lake Beach, IL10.6+0.2 pts
89Melrose Park, IL10.4-0.3 pts
90Elgin, IL10.4+0.4 pts
91Crestwood, IL10.3-1.5 pts
92Northlake, IL10.1-0.5 pts
93Country Club Hills, IL10.1+0.7 pts
94Palatine, IL10.1-0.5 pts
95Pontiac, IL9.9-0.2 pts
96Aurora, IL9.8-0.3 pts
97Streamwood, IL9.7+0.5 pts
98Bourbonnais, IL9.7-1.6 pts
99Carpentersville, IL9.7+0.4 pts
100Skokie, IL9.6+0.9 pts
101Glendale Heights, IL9.6+0.8 pts
102Sycamore, IL9.5+1.7 pts
103Matteson, IL9.4-1.5 pts
104Homewood, IL9.4+0.9 pts
105Oak Lawn, IL9.2-1.6 pts
106Palos Hills, IL9.2-1 pts
107Lyons, IL9.1+1.8 pts
108Fairview Heights, IL9.1-0.4 pts
109Richton Park, IL9-0.8 pts
109Round Lake, IL9-1.7 pts
111Bradley, IL8.9-3.3 pts
112Addison, IL8.8-0.1 pts
113Montgomery, IL8.8-0.6 pts
114Wheeling, IL8.7+0.3 pts
115Mundelein, IL8.5+0.6 pts
116Bensenville, IL8.4-0.5 pts
117Swansea, IL8.3+1.6 pts
118Bolingbrook, IL8.2+0.3 pts
119Plano, IL8.2-0.5 pts
120Niles, IL8.2+0.5 pts
121Morris, IL8+2.2 pts
122Huntley, IL7.8+0.3 pts
123Morton Grove, IL7.7+0.7 pts
124Woodstock, IL7.7-1 pts
125Antioch, IL7.4-1.3 pts
126Carol Stream, IL7-0.8 pts
127Elk Grove Village, IL6.9+1.6 pts
128Morton, IL6.9+0.2 pts
129Rolling Meadows, IL6.8+0.4 pts
130Bloomingdale, IL6.8-0.4 pts
131Oak Park, IL6.7-0.1 pts
132Elmwood Park, IL6.7+0.2 pts
133Lombard, IL6.7-0.4 pts
134Godfrey, IL6.7-0 pts
135Orland Park, IL6.6+1.2 pts
136Buffalo Grove, IL6.5+0.4 pts
137Wauconda, IL6.5+0.7 pts
138South Elgin, IL6.4+0.6 pts
139Arlington Heights, IL6.3+0.5 pts
140Hickory Hills, IL6.2-2.4 pts
141Wood Dale, IL6.2+1.1 pts
142Shiloh, IL6.2+0.1 pts
143Crystal Lake, IL6.1+0.8 pts
144Schiller Park, IL6-2 pts
145Highland, IL6+2.7 pts
146Lockport, IL6-0.4 pts
147Schaumburg, IL6-0.3 pts
148Mount Prospect, IL6+1 pts
149Wheaton, IL5.9+0.3 pts
150Prospect Heights, IL5.9-2.3 pts
151Palos Heights, IL5.9+1 pts
152Des Plaines, IL5.8-1.6 pts
153Romeoville, IL5.8-0.1 pts
154Woodridge, IL5.8+0.9 pts
155Lisle, IL5.7-0.1 pts
156North Aurora, IL5.6-0.3 pts
157Vernon Hills, IL5.6+1.1 pts
158Grayslake, IL5.6-1.2 pts
159Roscoe, IL5.6+0.8 pts
160Gurnee, IL5.5+1.2 pts
161Glen Carbon, IL5.5-1.9 pts
162Glenview, IL5.5+0.4 pts
163River Grove, IL5.5-4.5 pts
163Waterloo, IL5.5+0.4 pts
165Glen Ellyn, IL5.5-0.2 pts
166Oak Forest, IL5.5+1.6 pts
167Norridge, IL5.4+1.7 pts
168Hoffman Estates, IL5.3+0.5 pts
169Evergreen Park, IL5.3-0.5 pts
170Tinley Park, IL5.2+0.2 pts
171Burr Ridge, IL5.2+1.8 pts
172La Grange, IL5.1+0.8 pts
173Batavia, IL5+0.2 pts
173Shorewood, IL5+1.7 pts
175Brookfield, IL5-0.2 pts
176Columbia, IL5+0.5 pts
177Downers Grove, IL4.9-0.2 pts
178Barrington, IL4.8-0.3 pts
179Washington, IL4.8-0.6 pts
180Lincolnwood, IL4.7-0.7 pts
181Cary, IL4.6+0.1 pts
182Westchester, IL4.5+1.1 pts
183Mokena, IL4.50 pts
184Algonquin, IL4.5+0.1 pts
185Channahon, IL4.5+0.4 pts
186Northbrook, IL4.5+0.8 pts
187Frankfort, IL4.4+1.4 pts
188Homer Glen, IL4.4+0.8 pts
189O'Fallon, IL4.4+1.1 pts
190Naperville, IL4.40 pts
191Villa Park, IL4.2-0.7 pts
192Plainfield, IL4.1+1.9 pts
193McHenry, IL4+0.1 pts
194La Grange Park, IL4+0.2 pts
195Lake Forest, IL4-0 pts
196Mahomet, IL3.9+1.3 pts
197Lake in the Hills, IL3.9+0.3 pts
198St. Charles, IL3.9-0.4 pts
199Darien, IL3.8+0.4 pts
200Chatham, IL3.7-0.2 pts
201Libertyville, IL3.7+0.5 pts
202Roselle, IL3.6+0.4 pts
203Park Ridge, IL3.5-0.8 pts
204Lindenhurst, IL3.5-0.5 pts
205Elmhurst, IL3.5-0.2 pts
206Wilmette, IL3.4+0.5 pts
207Manhattan, IL3.3-0.9 pts
208Highland Park, IL3.3-0.1 pts
209Lemont, IL3.1+0.7 pts
210Yorkville, IL3.1-0.1 pts
211Lake Zurich, IL2.8-0.3 pts
212Bartlett, IL2.7+0.3 pts
213Campton Hills, IL2.7-0.8 pts
214Geneva, IL2.5-0.1 pts
214Winfield, IL2.5+1 pts
216Deerfield, IL2.5-0.2 pts
217Oswego, IL2.3+0.2 pts
218River Forest, IL2.2+1 pts
219Minooka, IL2.1-1.1 pts
219New Lenox, IL2.1+0.1 pts
221Western Springs, IL2-0.5 pts
222Winnetka, IL1.90 pts
223Hinsdale, IL1.8+0.4 pts
224Troy, IL1.6-3.2 pts
225Pingree Grove, IL0.9-3.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

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

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. 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). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-cities?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-cities?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Cities in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Carbondale, IL, with 36.9% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Pingree Grove, IL, with 0.9% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in Illinois: more rankings