Population stagnation in Illinois has been a perennial concern over the last 15 years. After gaining nearly a million and a half new residents between 1990 and 2010 due to robust international migration, labor force growth, higher birth rates, and suburban expansion, Illinois has had flat population growth since 2010. Demographic data show that the […]
Descriptive analysis of data on disability and employment for Illinois and neighboring states (Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin) from the American Community Survey (ACS) between the years of 2008 and 2024 was conducted to generate the following data digest. This analysis revealed insights into long-term trends in state-level differences regarding employment and labor market […]
The experience of job loss and re-employment typically focuses on the unemployed population, those who experience a job separation and are actively seeking work. However, a significant share of people who lose their jobs are not captured in the unemployed population, as they are not actively seeking work. Additionally, the share of people considered outside […]
Illinois has a public service workers shortage. This includes thousands of unfilled teaching positions at local school districts. Labor shortages have been linked to inadequate pay and benefits as well as other issues like burnout. One proposed solution has been to reform the two-tiered retirement system for state and local government workers—half of whom are […]
Illinois has a tax system that requires working and middle-class families to pay higher shares of their incomes towards state and local taxes than high-income earners. State lawmakers have debated whether to amend the Illinois Constitution to allow for higher income taxes on annual net incomes over $1 million, with new revenues lock-boxed and dedicated […]
The Employment Quality Illinois (EQ-IL) Index indicates that job quality in the state is good for many workers, better for others, even best for some, but still poor for too many. Using a survey sample of over 5,600 employed workers in Illinois, a composite index was constructed of job quality in the state. While workers […]
Champaign County, Illinois, is facing a housing shortage that has caused home prices and rents to rise, leaving many families unable to find or afford housing. The median sales price of a home in Champaign County has increased by 14 percent over the past year and 44 percent of renters in the county are “costburdened,” […]