Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson sees unlimited migration as a solution to population loss. What he should be doing is recognizing crime and a lack of quality school choice is driving out families.
Third grade marks a critical reading milestone: if students struggle then, they will face greater problems during the rest of their educations. State data shows 7 of 10 Illinois third graders can’t read at grade level, meaning there’s trouble awaiting most Illinois students.
Illinois grew jobs in eight of its 13 metropolitan areas during April, but the Chicago area’s sluggish growth and a stubbornly high unemployment rate tempered any gains.
Black workers in Illinois face a tougher job market than peers nationally. Hispanic men, Asians face lower unemployment rates relative to peers in other states.
Illinois continued to lose population last year, with people leaving 75% of the communities in the state. But what about your town? Did it lose or gain, and by how much?
Chicago lost 8,208 residents in 2023, the third-largest decline of any city in the nation. At this rate, the Second City will drop from No. 3 to No. 4 by 2035
Occupational licensing requirements present one of the steepest barriers to low-income Illinoisans starting careers in beauty services. Illinois requires anyone seeking to become a barber, cosmetologist, nail technician or hair braider to obtain a state license, essentially a permission slip to work. Unlike 45 other states, Illinois offers only one pathway to licensure for each...