Study shows Democrat-run Illinois is worst state for racial economic equality

Despite a heavy emphasis on equity at the Illinois Statehouse, a new study ranks Illinois as the worst state in the country on racial economic equality.

The personal finance website WalletHub placed Illinois near the bottom in several categories, including the difference between white and Black residents in median annual income.

“The fifth largest gap in the country,” researcher Jill Gonzalez said. “The same with the labor force participation rate. Illinois is again the fifth highest and the second highest when looking at the unemployment rate.”

Illinois ranked 40th in the poverty rate, 46th in the homeless rate, and 49th in the share of unsheltered homeless.

Illinois has created an agency to deal with equity called the Illinois Office of Equity, with a mission to advance “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility through state agencies, legislators, and within the community.”

Some see the causes of racial wealth gaps in the U.S. varying but being tied to historical, structural and social forces that affect some racial groups more than others.

“Jim Crow laws and school segregation policies denied African Americans the opportunity to education and ownership for decades, which is very clearly tied to the unequal intergenerational transfer of inheritance that drives racial wealth gaps,” said Terrell Strayhorn, professor at Virginia Union University. “And long-standing unfair tax codes, income disparities, and mandatory sentencing also fuel wealth gaps.”

Other Midwestern states scored poorly in the study, including Wisconsin as the second worst state and Iowa the third worst in the country.

The top three state economies with the most racial equality are Alaska, Arizona and New Mexico, according to Wallethub.