Illinois’ Worst Place for Poverty is So Bad It’s Nearly Shut Down

If you have enough food to eat and a roof over your head, you're better off than more than half of the residents of an Illinois place where poverty is so bad that it's nearly shut down.

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I saw this new study shared by 24/7 Wall St about the town in each state with the highest poverty rates and the one in Illinois is beyond tragic. It's not that far from downtown St. Louis and East St. Louis. They say the Illinois town with the highest poverty rate is Washington Park, Illinois.

Washington Park, Illinois is just to the east of St. Louis.

This street view is typical of the Washington Park, Illinois area. Many homes in shambles.

The numbers shared about Washington Park, Illinois are stunning. They have a 42.2% poverty and over 15% unemployment rate. The median income is only $33,036 less than half of the Illinois average.

To add to this misery, I saw Fox 2 out of St. Louis report that Washington Park, Illinois is "on the verge of shutting down".

Makes you wonder how/if areas like this in rundown metro areas can possibly make a comeback. I would think that most of the people that live there don't do it because they choose to, but because they have no easy way out.

It's another reminder to be thankful for what you have and not unhappy about what you want. Many don't have either.