Illinois food assistance dips in January, but still leads region

Illinois had a slight decrease in food assistance recipients in January, yet the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation remains higher than it was a decade ago and ahead of neighboring states.

Despite a marginal decrease in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program enrollment in January, over 1.95 million Illinoisans – over 1.07 million households – obtained food assistance from the federal government.

Enrollment dipped by 0.17% from December 2024 and declined 1.06% from last year, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services. These decreases hint at modest improvements in food security, but the long-term economic trends paint a more complicated picture.

During the past five years, SNAP participation in Illinois has grown by 10.25%, with more than 170,000 additional residents relying on food assistance in 2025 compared to 2020. This indicates persistent economic challenges and underscores the need for policies to strengthen the state’s workforce and support long-term growth.

As of January, Illinois had the fifth-highest unemployment rate in the U.S. at 4.9%, leaving more than 324,000 residents looking for work. Job creation continued to lag, with over 47,000 more job seekers than available positions in January. Adding to these employment challenges is Illinois’ poor social mobility, making it harder for low-income residents to climb the economic ladder.

Illinois maintains the Midwest’s highest SNAP participation rate and one of the highest in the country, with more than 1 in 7 residents enrolled in January. Unlike neighboring states, where SNAP enrollment has steadily declined over the years, Illinois has seen long-term growth. The state’s participation rate increased from 12.5% in 2010 to 15% in 2025.

Illinois’ SNAP participation also reveals significant regional disparities, with rural counties reporting far higher use than the suburban areas and collar counties surrounding Chicago. Alexander and Pulaski counties led the state, with 32.4% of residents receiving food assistance, followed by Vermilion at 29.1%, and 25.9% in Gallatin, Pope and Saline.

At just 6.7%, McHenry County had the lowest SNAP participation rate, followed by the Monroe and Randolph county area at 8.2% and DuPage County at 8.7%.

Cook County remains a disproportionate contributor to Illinois’ SNAP use, accounting for 48.1% of all statewide SNAP-receiving households in January. The high concentration of SNAP recipients in Chicago is a major force behind the county’s and the state’s elevated participation rates. While it contains 54.7% of Cook County’s households, Chicago accounts for 67% of its SNAP recipients.

Some Illinoisans can expect some relief in 2026, thanks to the state’s repeal of the 1% grocery tax. But that respite is vanishing, as 163 towns have restored the tax and others are likely to follow. Illinois needs lasting reform to combat the underlying causes of food insecurity – not temporary fixes.

Key reforms include removing obstacles to employment, reshaping safety net programs to incentivize work, evaluating program outcomes more rigorously and implementing fiscal policies to ensure economic growth and boost job creation. These steps are essential to building lasting prosperity across the state.