All dollar amounts shown in this dashboard were converted to 2018 dollars.
Regional median income – This number is based on HUD income limits for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Metropolitan Area. The calculated average between household sizes 2 and 3 at the Low Income Limit (80% of Area Median Income) was adjusted to 100% of Area Median Income, and divided by 12 for a monthly income value. (Source: Chicago Housing Authority)
Median monthly income, home ownership rates, and racial representation – These numbers are all based on 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-year income estimates. (Source: US Census Bureau)
Essential monthly costs – These values are in no way meant to represent the sum of necessary costs for a regional typical household. Depicted in the bar chart is the average combined water and sewer bill for a household consuming 5,000 gallons per month. All water costs depicted in the dashboard encompass water and sewer charges from the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant water rate survey estimates.
The bar chart also shows typical transportation costs and housing costs for owners, which are from the Center for Neighborhood Technology’s Housing and Transportation Index. (Source: H+T Index)
Percent change since 2008 – Growth rates for water bills over the last decade were calculated from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant water rate survey estimates. Decadal growth rates for incomes were calculated from Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning 2008 income estimates, also downloadable through the dashboard, and 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-year income estimates. (Sources: CMAP, US Census Bureau)
Work hours required to pay the water bill – For households in the lowest earning quintile, this number is calculated by converting the median income for the lowest earning quintile to an hourly wage, then dividing the typical water bill by that hourly wage to arrive at an estimate of hours worked.
For households earning median income, this number is calculated in the same way, but using the median income. Income numbers are from the 2013–2017 American Community Survey 5-year income estimates. (Source: US Census Bureau)