Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Illinois

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

Alexander County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 102 counties in 2021, at 24.5%. Monroe County had the lowest, at 3.2%. The median was 13.1% and the figure for Illinois was 11.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest24.5Alexander County
Lowest3.2Monroe County
Median13.1102 counties
Illinois11.8History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 11.9 %Alexander County: 24.5 %Bond County: 15.1 %Boone County: 9.3 %Brown County: 9.7 %Bureau County: 12.2 %Calhoun County: 6.9 %Carroll County: 11.7 %Cass County: 13.3 %Champaign County: 18.3 %Christian County: 10.6 %Clark County: 8 %Clay County: 15.7 %Clinton County: 7.4 %Coles County: 19.8 %Cook County: 13.5 %Crawford County: 10.6 %Cumberland County: 9.6 %DeKalb County: 15.6 %De Witt County: 11.1 %Douglas County: 10.3 %DuPage County: 6.1 %Edgar County: 11.4 %Edwards County: 13.5 %Effingham County: 10.5 %Fayette County: 17.2 %Ford County: 13.1 %Franklin County: 18.4 %Fulton County: 14.8 %Gallatin County: 16.7 %Greene County: 13.4 %Grundy County: 6.1 %Hamilton County: 12.8 %Hancock County: 12.5 %Hardin County: 12.5 %Henderson County: 8.4 %Henry County: 10 %Iroquois County: 10.3 %Jackson County: 23.8 %Jasper County: 11.7 %Jefferson County: 15.1 %Jersey County: 7 %Jo Daviess County: 9 %Johnson County: 13.7 %Kane County: 8.4 %Kankakee County: 13.2 %Kendall County: 4.4 %Knox County: 16.2 %Lake County: 7.6 %LaSalle County: 13.7 %Lawrence County: 13.8 %Lee County: 12 %Livingston County: 11.9 %Logan County: 10.4 %McDonough County: 19.4 %McHenry County: 6.3 %McLean County: 15.7 %Macon County: 15.3 %Macoupin County: 15 %Madison County: 12.2 %Marion County: 16.9 %Marshall County: 11.4 %Mason County: 14 %Massac County: 14 %Menard County: 6.6 %Mercer County: 10 %Monroe County: 3.2 %Montgomery County: 14.6 %Morgan County: 13 %Moultrie County: 8.6 %Ogle County: 8.8 %Peoria County: 15.6 %Perry County: 19 %Piatt County: 5.8 %Pike County: 13.7 %Pope County: 21.5 %Pulaski County: 18.2 %Putnam County: 9.6 %Randolph County: 13.2 %Richland County: 13.5 %Rock Island County: 14.7 %St. Clair County: 13.6 %Saline County: 17 %Sangamon County: 14.1 %Schuyler County: 17.3 %Scott County: 12.1 %Shelby County: 9 %Stark County: 13.3 %Stephenson County: 14.1 %Tazewell County: 8.9 %Union County: 19.6 %Vermilion County: 18.7 %Wabash County: 13.9 %Warren County: 12.3 %Washington County: 7.5 %Wayne County: 14.5 %White County: 15.3 %Whiteside County: 12.1 %Will County: 6.8 %Williamson County: 13.9 %Winnebago County: 15.9 %Woodford County: 6.2 %
  • Under 8.6
  • 8.6 to 11
  • 11 to 13
  • 13 to 14
  • 14 to 16
  • 16 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Alexander County: 24.5 %Alexander County24.5Jackson County: 23.8 %Jackson County23.8Pope County: 21.5 %Pope County21.5Coles County: 19.8 %Coles County19.8Union County: 19.6 %Union County19.6McDonough County: 19.4 %McDonough County19.4Perry County: 19 %Perry County19Vermilion County: 18.7 %Vermilion County18.7Franklin County: 18.4 %Franklin County18.4Champaign County: 18.3 %Champaign County18.3Pulaski County: 18.2 %Pulaski County18.2Schuyler County: 17.3 %Schuyler County17.3Fayette County: 17.2 %Fayette County17.2Saline County: 17 %Saline County17Marion County: 16.9 %Marion County16.9Gallatin County: 16.7 %Gallatin County16.7Knox County: 16.2 %Knox County16.2Winnebago County: 15.9 %Winnebago County15.9McLean County: 15.7 %McLean County15.7Clay County: 15.7 %Clay County15.7DeKalb County: 15.6 %DeKalb County15.6Peoria County: 15.6 %Peoria County15.6Macon County: 15.3 %Macon County15.3White County: 15.3 %White County15.3Bond County: 15.1 %Bond County15.1Jefferson County: 15.1 %Jefferson County15.1Macoupin County: 15 %Macoupin County15Fulton County: 14.8 %Fulton County14.8Rock Island County: 14.7 %Rock Island County14.7Montgomery County: 14.6 %Montgomery County14.6Wayne County: 14.5 %Wayne County14.5Stephenson County: 14.1 %Stephenson County14.1Sangamon County: 14.1 %Sangamon County14.1Mason County: 14 %Mason County14Massac County: 14 %Massac County14Williamson County: 13.9 %Williamson County13.9Wabash County: 13.9 %Wabash County13.9Lawrence County: 13.8 %Lawrence County13.8Johnson County: 13.7 %Johnson County13.7Pike County: 13.7 %Pike County13.7Alexander County: 24.5 %Alexander County24.5Jackson County: 23.8 %Jackson County23.8Pope County: 21.5 %Pope County21.5Coles County: 19.8 %Coles County19.8Union County: 19.6 %Union County19.6McDonough County: 19.4 %McDonough County19.4Perry County: 19 %Perry County19Vermilion County: 18.7 %Vermilion County18.7Franklin County: 18.4 %Franklin County18.4Champaign County: 18.3 %Champaign County18.3Pulaski County: 18.2 %Pulaski County18.2Schuyler County: 17.3 %Schuyler County17.3Fayette County: 17.2 %Fayette County17.2Saline County: 17 %Saline County17Marion County: 16.9 %Marion County16.9Gallatin County: 16.7 %Gallatin County16.7Knox County: 16.2 %Knox County16.2Winnebago County: 15.9 %Winnebago County15.9McLean County: 15.7 %McLean County15.7Clay County: 15.7 %Clay County15.7DeKalb County: 15.6 %DeKalb County15.6Peoria County: 15.6 %Peoria County15.6Macon County: 15.3 %Macon County15.3White County: 15.3 %White County15.3Bond County: 15.1 %Bond County15.1Jefferson County: 15.1 %Jefferson County15.1Macoupin County: 15 %Macoupin County15Fulton County: 14.8 %Fulton County14.8Rock Island County: 14.7 %Rock Island County14.7Montgomery County: 14.6 %Montgomery County14.6Wayne County: 14.5 %Wayne County14.5Stephenson County: 14.1 %Stephenson County14.1Sangamon County: 14.1 %Sangamon County14.1Mason County: 14 %Mason County14Massac County: 14 %Massac County14Williamson County: 13.9 %Williamson County13.9Wabash County: 13.9 %Wabash County13.9Lawrence County: 13.8 %Lawrence County13.8Johnson County: 13.7 %Johnson County13.7Pike County: 13.7 %Pike County13.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Alexander County24.5
2Jackson County23.8
3Pope County21.5
4Coles County19.8
5Union County19.6
6McDonough County19.4
7Perry County19
8Vermilion County18.7
9Franklin County18.4
10Champaign County18.3
11Pulaski County18.2
12Schuyler County17.3
13Fayette County17.2
14Saline County17
15Marion County16.9
16Gallatin County16.7
17Knox County16.2
18Winnebago County15.9
19McLean County15.7
20Clay County15.7
21DeKalb County15.6
22Peoria County15.6
23Macon County15.3
24White County15.3
25Bond County15.1
26Jefferson County15.1
27Macoupin County15
28Fulton County14.8
29Rock Island County14.7
30Montgomery County14.6
31Wayne County14.5
32Stephenson County14.1
33Sangamon County14.1
34Mason County14
34Massac County14
36Williamson County13.9
37Wabash County13.9
38Lawrence County13.8
39Johnson County13.7
40Pike County13.7
41LaSalle County13.7
42St. Clair County13.6
43Richland County13.5
44Edwards County13.5
45Cook County13.5
46Greene County13.4
47Cass County13.3
48Stark County13.3
49Kankakee County13.2
50Randolph County13.2
51Ford County13.1
52Morgan County13
53Hamilton County12.8
54Hancock County12.5
55Hardin County12.5
56Warren County12.3
57Bureau County12.2
58Madison County12.2
59Whiteside County12.1
60Scott County12.1
61Lee County12
62Adams County11.9
63Livingston County11.9
64Carroll County11.7
65Jasper County11.7
66Marshall County11.4
67Edgar County11.4
68De Witt County11.1
69Christian County10.6
70Crawford County10.6
71Effingham County10.5
72Logan County10.4
73Douglas County10.3
73Iroquois County10.3
75Henry County10
76Mercer County10
77Brown County9.7
78Cumberland County9.6
79Putnam County9.6
80Boone County9.3
81Shelby County9
82Jo Daviess County9
83Tazewell County8.9
84Ogle County8.8
85Moultrie County8.6
86Kane County8.4
87Henderson County8.4
88Clark County8
89Lake County7.6
90Washington County7.5
91Clinton County7.4
92Jersey County7
93Calhoun County6.9
94Will County6.8
95Menard County6.6
96McHenry County6.3
97Woodford County6.2
98DuPage County6.1
99Grundy County6.1
100Piatt County5.8
101Kendall County4.4
102Monroe County3.2

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 counties 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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 (Counties in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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, Counties in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021. 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. Counties in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021.

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, Counties in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_illinois_by_2021,
  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: Counties in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021. 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-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: Counties in Illinois by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021.
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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Alexander County, with 24.5% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Monroe County, with 3.2% in 2021.

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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in Illinois: more rankings