Across the country people have been trumpeting the good news from the new national Census numbers. Now that the local numbers are out, it’s clear Chicago also has some news worth celebrating.
In 2015 the median income went up in Chicago, and unemployment went down. The percentage of people in poverty was the lowest it’s been in 7 years in Chicago.
But it’s not all good news. While the median income of white Chicagoans continues to climb, the black median income was more stagnant. That’s created a widening gap between the median incomes of white and black Chicagoans, even as the gap remained steady nationally. Median income for black Chicagoans now equals about 39 cents on the dollar compared to white Chicagoans.
Dr. Stephanie Bechteler is with Chicago’s Urban League. She believes the trend is related to the disappearance of middle-class families from some large cities like Chicago.
“And with that loss of the middle class you see a bifurcated city with a wider income gap than you’ve seen in previous years,” she said.
There was also some bad news on the state level. Illinois was one of only eight states that saw an increase in the GINI Index -- a number that measures income distribution and inequality.
“These numbers show that despite a generally positive trend, Illinois and its largest city are leaving low-income families and communities of color behind,” said Sam Tuttle, director of policy and advocacy at the Heartland Alliance. “We need to make a targeted effort to dismantle the policies and practices that perpetuate racial inequity.”
A previous version of this story misspelled Sam Tuttle’s last name.
Shannon Heffernan is a reporter for WBEZ. Follow her @shannon_h
Chris Hagan is a reporter for WBEZ. Follow him @chrishagan
