This data brief, produced by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute research team, provides detailed information on Illinois’ Latino population using the 2015-19 American Community Survey data.

1. In 2019, Latinos are the second largest racial or ethnic group in Illinois at 17% of the population (Figure 1), slightly lower than the national share of Latinos (18%). Since 2000, the Latino population in Illinois has grown 45%—significantly faster than the state’s overall population growth rate of 1%.

Figure 1. Population by Race and Ethnicity in Illinois, 2019

Source: LPPI analysis of 2015-2019 American Community Survey public use microdata.
Note: AAPI refers Asian American and Pacific Islander Population.

2. Latinos in Illinois are significantly younger than the average Illinoisan. The median age for Latino Illinoisans is 28 years old, compared to 38 for Illinoisans overall. Additionally, almost one-fifth of Latinos in Illinois are age 10 or under, compared to just 14% of the state population.

3. More than three-quarters of Latinos in Illinois are Mexican (79%)—a share 17 percentage points greater than that of Latinos nationally (62%). Puerto Ricans (9%), South Americans (4%), Guatemalans (2%), and Latinos of other descent (2%) close out the five largest Latino descent groups in Illinois. Since 2000, Venezuelans have grown the fastest among Latino groups in Illinois.

 4. In Illinois, nearly one-third of Latinos (32%) did not complete high school—almost three times the state share overall (11%). Furthermore, more than half of non-citizen Latinos in Illinois (51%) lack a high school diploma. 

5. Latinas are more likely to have completed college than Latino men. About 17% of Latinas in Illinois completed a college degree, compared to 13% of Latino men. However, both Latinas and Latino men in Illinois were less likely to have completed a bachelor’s degree than Latinos nationally (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Population with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in Illinois, 2019

Source: LPPI analysis of 2015-2019 American Community Survey public use microdata.

6. Latino men participate in the workforce at the highest rate among men of all racial and ethnic groups in Illinois (80%). Similarly, Latinas have the highest labor force participation rate among women at 63% (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Labor Force Participation Rates by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in Illinois, 2019

Source: LPPI analysis of 2015-2019 American Community Survey public use microdata.
Note: Data are for the civilian non-institutionalized population.

7. The median household income for Latinos in Illinois is $55,000, $3,000 higher than that of Latinos nationally ($51,800). However, Latinos’ median income is $10,000 lower than the state median ($65,000) and lower than those of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and white households (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Median Household Incomes by Race and Ethnicity in Illinois, 2019

Source: LPPI analysis of 2015-2019 American Community Survey public use microdata.
Note: Data reflect race and ethnicity of head of household.

8. Despite their high levels of workforce participation, 16% of Latino households live in poverty, 3 percentage points higher than the state overall (13%). An additional 26% of Latino households live in low-income conditions.

 9. In Illinois, 53% of Latinos own a home, 13 percentage points lower than the overall state homeownership rate (66%) but higher than the rate for Latinos nationally (47%). 

10. The median home value for Illinois Latinos is $180,000—$10,000 less than the average home in Illinois ($190,000; Figure 5).

Figure 5: Median Home Values by Race and Ethnicity in Illinois, 2019

Source: LPPI analysis of 2015-2019 American Community Survey public use microdata.
Note: Data reflect race and ethnicity of head of household.

11. More than half of Illinoisan Latinos (51%) are housing cost-burdened—meaning they spend more than 30% of their incomes on housing costs. This rate is slightly higher than that of Illinois households overall (49%).

12. Latino children in Illinois are among the most likely to live in cost-burdened households. About 56% of Latino children live in a cost-burdened household, 2 percentage points higher than Illinoisan children overall (54%). Only Black children are more likely to live in a cost-burdened household (65%).

13. In Illinois, 16% of Latinos are uninsured, more than double the state rate (7%). Among Latino groups, non-citizen Latinos are the most likely to be uninsured (39%). 

14. Latino children are uninsured at a higher rate than any other major racial or ethnic group (4%). Additionally, Latino children are slightly more likely to be uninsured compared to Illinoisan children overall (3%).

15. Nearly one-third of Latinos are covered by Medicaid—the highest coverage of any insurance type and 10 percentage points higher than the share of Illinoisans overall (20%). Similarly, 65% of Illinoisan Latino children are covered by Medicaid, the highest rate of any racial or ethnic group.

Featured photo courtesy of Pedro Lastra on Unsplash.