How expensive is Illinois? Here’s the minimum living wage for your metro-east county

Missouri has one of the lowest living wages in the U.S., according to a recent report from personal finance media company GoBankingRates, while Illinois has the 13th-highest living wage in the country.

A resident of Missouri needs to make an average of $47,771 to live, the analysis says, putting the Show Me State in the eighth spot for the cheapest state to live. Illinois residents must make $49,372, the report continued.

GoBankingRates used consumer expenditure data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center to compile the ranking. The report was based on necessary expenses for a single person, and the analysis doubled the total annual cost of necessities to account for “discretionary spending and savings.”

The cost of necessities, such as food and shelter, has risen significantly over the past 12 months, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows. Grocery prices are up 2.4%, while restaurant prices are up 6%, according to the federal agency.

Housing costs are up 7.1% across the nation, according to the federal agency, and the median rent price in Illinois is at $1,750, popular housing site Zillow reports. The rent calculation includes all property types and sizes for rental properties listed on the site.

Gas prices increased by 3% from September 2022 to September 2023, and the price of electricity is up 2.6%. The average gas price in Illinois is $3.405 per gallon as of Monday, while Missouri’s is $2.842, according to auto club AAA.

The cost for all items is up 3.7% over the past 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while total compensation is up 4.5% for civilian workers in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year.

Although wages have increased overall in the past year, the minimum wage still lags far below the living wage in many areas.

Illinois’ minimum wage sits at $13 an hour for non-tipped workers and $7.80 for tipped workers. The state’s minimum wage is set to increase to $14 and $8.40, respectively, Jan. 1, and then to $15 and $9 at the start of 2025.

Missouri’s minimum wage is $12 for non-tipped workers and $6 per hour for tipped workers (plus any amount necessary to make the total wage at least $12).

Here’s what to know about the living wage in southwestern Illinois counties and St. Louis.

Living wages in the metro-east

Here’s the hourly wage residents of metro-east counties need to make to afford basic living expenses, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Living Wage Calculator:

St. Clair County:

• $16.50 for a single adult with no children

• $34.06 for a single adult with one child

• $43.82 for a single adult with two children

• $13.31 for two adults (both adults working) and no children

• $19.06 for two adults (both working) and one child

• $24.23 for two adults (both working) and two children

Madison County:

• $16.50 for a single adult with no children

• $34.32 for a single adult with one child

• $44.38 for a single adult with two children

• $13.31 for two adults (both adults working) and no children

• $19.19 for two adults (both working) and one child

• $24.49 for two adults (both working) and two children

Monroe County:

• $16.50 for a single adult with no children

• $33.96 for a single adult with one child

• $43.60 for a single adult with two children

• $13.31 for two adults (both adults working) and no children

• $19.01 for two adults (both working) and one child

• $24.12 for two adults (both working) and two children

Bond County:

• $15.27 for a single adult with no children

• $31.93 for a single adult with one child

• $41.10 for a single adult with two children

• $12.72 for two adults (both adults working) and no children

• $17.99 for two adults (both working) and one child

• $22.88 for two adults (both working) and two children

Clinton County:

• $16.50 for a single adult with no children

• $33.21 for a single adult with one child

• $42.11 for a single adult with two children

• $13.31 for two adults (both adults working) and no children

• $18.64 for two adults (both working) and one child

• $23.38 for two adults (both working) and two children

Washington County:

• $15.87 for a single adult with no children
• $32.21 for a single adult with one child
• $41.19 for a single adult with two children

• $12.81 for two adults (both working) and no children
• $18.14 for two adults (both working) and one child
• $22.92 for two adults (both working) and two children

Randolph County:

• $15.04 for a single adult with no children
• $32.36 for a single adult with one child
• $41.93 for a single adult with two children

• $12.64 for two adults (both working) and no children
• $18.21 for two adults (both working) and one child
• $23.29 for two adults (both working) and two children

Living wages in St. Louis

St. Louis city:

• $16.14 for a single adult with no children

• $33.75 for a single adult with one child

• $42.92 for a single adult with two children

• $12.88 for two adults (both adults working) and no children

• $18.81 for two adults (both working) and one child

• $23.69 for two adults (both working) and two children

St. Louis County:

• $16.14 for a single adult with no children

• $36.66 for a single adult with one child

• $49.16 for a single adult with two children

• $12.88 for two adults (both adults working) and no children

• $20.27 for two adults (both working) and one child

• $26.60 for two adults (both working) and two children

Meredith Howard

Belleville News-Democrat

Meredith Howard is a service journalist with the Belleville News-Democrat. She is a Baylor University graduate and has previously freelanced with the Illinois Times and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Support my work with a digital subscription