Chicago household income grows, poverty drops for 5th straight year, new census data shows

Chicago saw positive signs of growth in household income and a declining percentage of people are living below the poverty line for the fifth straight year, new census data shows.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the city's median household income increased nearly 11% - from $51,695 in 2014 to $57,238 in 2018, edging higher each year.

The surging city income is coupled with a drop in the percentage of people living below the poverty line. Just over 17% of city residents were below the poverty line - down from 22% living in poverty in 2014.

Rob Paral, a demographic and public policy consultant, called that drop impressive. Downtown's economic boom is the main reason, he said, but that means gentrification also is a factor.

"Chicago has been losing a lot of poor folks as they move to other states," Paral said. "The fact Chicago has dropped so much in its poverty measures is interesting because for a long time it's been considered a 'poor man's' city."

In Cook County overall, residents living in poverty also fell - from 17% in 2014 to 13.7% in 2018.

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