Did You Know?
Poverty is a very real issue here in Glen Ellyn and it affects many social justice issues such as access to affordable housing, medical care, and educational opportunities, to name just a few.
“Did You Know?” are short articles providing background information regarding a relevant (or “in the news”) social justice issue, supported by documented sources. As voters, we know that making informed decisions depends on accurate information. Poverty is a very real issue here in Glen Ellyn and it affects many social justice issues such as access to affordable housing, medical care, and educational opportunities, to name just a few. LWVGE pledges to continue to illuminate these important issues for not only our members, but the community at large.
Did You Know? Focus on Poverty in DuPage County
5.1% of the Glen Ellyn population live under the poverty level. That’s 1 out of 20 residents, or 1,430 people in our village.1
The poverty rate in DuPage County is 6.1%2 and the rate is 11.9%3 in Illinois.
Of those iving under the poverty level in DuPage County, most are children and seniors. 7.2%4 of all children in DuPage County and 6.2%5 of all seniors in DuPage County live under the poverty level. Women in DuPage County are also more likely than men to be living under the poverty level (women – 6.7%, men – 5.5%)6.
The poverty level in 2023 for a single person is at or below $14,580/year. For a family of four, the poverty level is at or below $30,000/year.7
Footnotes
1United States Census Bureau, as cited in Impact DuPage, (2023). People Living Below Poverty Level. https://www.impactdupage.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=347&periodId=9907&localeId=163121
2United States Census Bureau, as cited in Impact DuPage, (2023). People Living Below Poverty Level. https://www.impactdupage.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=347&periodId=9907&localeId=668
3United Census Bureau, (2023). Quick Facts, Illinois. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/IL/AGE295221
4American Community Survey 5-Year and United Census Bureau as cited by Impact DuPage, (2023), Children Living Below Poverty Level. https://www.impactdupage.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=189&localeId=668
5American Community Survey 5-Year and United Census Bureau, as cited in Impact DuPage, (2023), People 65+ Living Below Poverty Level. https://www.impactdupage.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=343&localeId=668
6American Community Survey 5-Year and United Census Bureau, as cited in Impact Dupage, (2023), People Living Below the Poverty Level.https://www.impactdupage.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=347&localeId=668&localeChartIdxs=1%7C3.
7U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, (2023). Poverty Guidelines – HHS Poverty Guidelines for 2023.