The town most often cited as the poorest in Illinois is Cahokia Heights, a small city in St. Clair County with one of the highest poverty rates and lowest median household incomes in the state.
Cahokia Heights: key poverty stats
- Poverty rate: About 41.2% of residents live below the federal poverty line, the highest among major Illinois towns in recent rankings.
- Median household income: Around $30,488, which is well below the Illinois and national medians.
- Other challenges: Relatively high unemployment (roughly 11–12% over recent years) and low rates of college‑educated adults add to the economic strain in the community.
Other very poor Illinois towns
Even though Cahokia Heights tops many “poorest town” lists, several other Illinois communities also face deep poverty:
- East St. Louis and Riverdale also have poverty rates above 30%, with median incomes under about $42,000.
- Ford Heights, Phoenix, and Venice appear consistently on lists of Illinois communities with the highest poverty rates and lowest incomes.
Sources:
- https://247wallst.com/income/2024/05/07/towns-in-illinois-with-the-worst-poverty/
- https://datacommons.org/ranking/Count_Person_BelowPovertyLevelInThePast12Months_WhiteAlone/City/geoId/17?h=wikidataId%2FQ578778&pc=1&scaling=100&unit=%25
