A social welfare organization says more than half of all Illinois counties are on its poverty-related watch list.
A total of 52 counties received the designation which takes into account factors like unemployment, teen births and high school graduation rates. The counties on the list are either higher than the state average or have gotten worse over time.
Katie Buitrago is Director of Research at Heartland Alliance’s Social IMPACT Research Center.
“The growing number of counties on the poverty watch and warning lists confirms that Illinois communities need to meaningfully invest in economic opportunity, job creation …and education and other Investments that really move the needle on well-being overall.”
While dozens of counties are on the watch list, five counties made the more dire warning list. Those are Calhoun Mason, Morgan, Stephenson and Wayne.
The county with the best rating was Adams, followed closely by Clark, Christian, Jasper, Macoupin, Richland and Scott.
The full report is available here.