Latest News from Prairie State Wire

Medium racial equality pexels caleb oquendo

Illinois ranks among bottom 10 states in racial integration ranking

By Michael Carroll | Jan 19, 2023

Illinois finished 42nd in a new study by the WalletHub website that examines racial equality and integration between white and Black residents among the 50 states and District of Columbia, based on metrics such as median household income and standardized test scores.

Illinois finishes 3rd worst in new state-by-state domestic migration study

By Michael Carroll | Jan 6, 2023

Illinois’ population dropped by 104,437 from 2021 to 2022, a reduction of 0.82%, according to a study from the website Wirepoints that is based on new data released this month by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Illinois’ minimum wage to reach $13 per hour in new year

By Michael Carroll | Jan 4, 2023

Illinois’ minimum wage is set to go up by $1 in the new year, reaching $13 per hour and placing the Prairie State among the states with the 13 highest minimum wage levels in the nation, the Labor Law Center reported.

Illinois finishes 22nd in ranking of which states have the most Christmas spirit

By Michael Carroll | Dec 22, 2022

Illinois came in 22nd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in a new study by a sales agent of the telecommunications firm CenturyLink showing which states are most inundated with the Christmas spirit in 2022.

Medium solar panels pexels gustavo fring

Illinois ranks 16th among the states in new energy-efficiency study

By Michael Carroll | Dec 20, 2022

Illinois ranked among the top 20 states for policies and programs aimed at reducing emissions, saving energy and advancing clean-energy goals, according to a new study by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Medium job applicant pexels sora shimazaki

Illinois’ job-opening numbers in May ranked worst in U.S.

By Michael Carroll | Aug 4, 2022

Illinois posted 102,000 fewer job openings in May as compared to April, representing a drop of 1.5 percentage points and the biggest rate drop among the 50 states, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Illinois posts highest wireless taxes in U.S., new tally finds

By Michael Carroll | Nov 3, 2021

Federal, state and local taxes imposed on Illinois cell phone customers are the highest in the nation, with the combined tax rate estimated at 34.6%, according to a new study by the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation.

13 Chicago firms, including Devbridge, make list of 2021 best workplaces

By Michael Carroll | May 25, 2021

Thirteen Chicago companies earned spots on a list of companies deemed the best workplaces in the nation for employees, according to a 2021 study by the business publication Inc.com.

Illinois among 3 states that lost population in past decade, census figures show

By Michael Carroll | Apr 28, 2021

Illinois’ population dropped by 18,124 from 2010 to 2020, a reduction of 0.1 percent, according to new data released this month by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Chicago labeled the most corrupt federal judicial district in the U.S.

By Michael Carroll | Mar 14, 2021

Based on federal Department of Justice statistics, the Chicago region garnered the most public corruption convictions since 1976, with Illinois as a whole designated the third most corrupt state, according to a report from the University of Illinois at Chicago.