Latest News from Prairie State Wire

Moody's: State of Illinois credit rating remains worst in country

By LGIS News Service | Oct 10, 2022

A leading credit agency says the State of Illinois' rating will remain the nation's worst, lowest among all 50 states.

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Chicago finishes 19th in ranking of the best cities for new college grads

By LGIS News Service | Sep 29, 2022

Chicago came in 19th in a new study by the insurance comparison website Insurify showing the city in each state that is most friendly to recent college graduates.

Illinois’ average household credit card debt growing faster than most states

By LGIS News Service | Sep 16, 2022

Illinois’ average household credit card debt rose by $538 during the second quarter of 2022, the fifth highest increase among the 50 states, according to a new study from the personal-finances website WalletHub.

Illinois ranks about average on state beer taxes

By LGIS News Service | Sep 14, 2022

The state beer excise tax in Illinois amounts to 23 cents per gallon, the 28th highest rate among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to a new analysis from the Tax Foundation based on 2022 data.

Illinois ranks 46th in new study of equity in school funding

By LGIS News Service | Aug 31, 2022

Illinois ranks among the 10 states with the greatest disparity of funding between its poorest and richest school districts serving elementary and secondary students, according to a new WalletHub study.

Illinois ranks 15th in new study of the best states to live in

By LGIS News Service | Aug 18, 2022

Illinois ranks among the 15 best states to live in, according to a new WalletHub study that measured considerations such as cost of living, job prospects, quality of education and overall safety.

Winnebago, Lake sheriff’s departments posted highest DUI arrest numbers in 2021

By LGIS News Service | Aug 3, 2022

The Winnebago Sheriff’s Department arrested 420 people for driving under the influence last year, the highest number of DUI arrests among Illinois counties, according to an activist group’s annual DUI survey.

Illinois’ 1st-quarter GDP growth down 2.5% as the U.S. economic output slumped

By LGIS News Service | Jul 21, 2022

Illinois’ gross domestic product decreased by an annualized rate of 2.5% in the first quarter of 2022, the 14th worst showing among the 50 states, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

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Illinois ranks 19th on CNBC’s 2022 ranking of which states are best for business

By LGIS News Service | Jul 21, 2022

Despite a 2.5% shrinkage in the gross domestic product in the first quarter of 2022 and a poor showing for business friendliness, Illinois ranked 19th in a new CNBC study of the top states for business.

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Beyond pension debts, Illinois owes over $101 billion in public-employee retirement benefits

By LGIS News Service | Jul 19, 2022

Net liabilities in Illinois for so-called other post-employment benefits (OPEBs), which consist primarily of health care and life insurance benefits to retired public employees, now hover at about $101.6 billion, according to a new analysis.

Only 0.39% of Illinois residents got married in 2020, new study reports

By LGIS News Service | Jun 23, 2022

Illinois ranked 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in a new study by the Giggster website that examines which jurisdictions recorded the highest marriage rates in 2020.

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Average Illinois household pays $2,029 in common monthly bills, study finds

By LGIS News Service | Jun 22, 2022

The average Illinois household spends $2,029 a month on common bills such as rent, auto loans and utilities, the 16th highest amount among the 50 states, according to a new study by the personal finance website Doxo.

Average regular gas price in Illinois hits $5.40 per gallon, AAA reports

By LGIS News Service | Jun 9, 2022

Illinois residents, on average, now pay $5.40 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, the sixth highest average gas price among all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to a June 6 report from AAA.

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Illinois ranks 11th worst for military retirees in new study

By LGIS News Service | Jun 7, 2022

Illinois ranked 41st among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in a new WalletHub study that examines the states with the best conditions for military retirees, based on criteria such as veterans per capita and access to Veterans Administration health facilities.