The Self-Sufficiency Standard is geographically specific, calculating real costs at each local level. In Illinois the Self-Sufficiency Standard is calculated for each county in the state as well as for East St. Louis, 3 regions in Chicago (North, West, and South Sides) and 3 regions in suburban Cook County (North, West, and South Suburban Cook).

The income needed for families to achieve self-sufficiency varies considerably throughout the state. Not surprisingly, the cost of meeting basic needs is higher in major metropolitan areas. A single parent with a preschooler and a school-age child living in DuPage County has an hourly Self-Sufficiency Wage of $29.31—$61,910 annually—the highest in the state. In contrast, Edgar County has the lowest Self-Sufficiency Wage in the state; the same family would need an hourly wage of $12.78—$26,986 annually—to get by there.

*Click on a county or place to download a local fact sheet with Self-Sufficiency Standard information.*

The Social IMPACT Research Center's Illinois Self-Sufficiency Project is made possible through the generous support of the Grand Victoria Foundation and the Chicago Foundation for Women.