HOT TOPICS
HIGH PROPERTY TAXES!
LaSalle, DeKalb and Bureau county families will pay the second-highest property tax rate in the nation. While Illinois’ median home value is less than the national median at $250,500, taxes on that home will still be higher than the U.S. average at $5,189.
Statistic data to share:
*Tax rank 2nd highest property tax rate nationally (behind NJ) (smartasset.com)
- Median home value $250,500 (Illinois) vs. ~$303,400 (national median)
- Property tax amount ~$5,189 on Illinois median home vs. ~$2,969 national average .
- Voter concern 54% cite high taxes as top issue
- Potential movers 49.5% would move if possible
- Tax burden share 16.5% (state/local) ; or 10.2% across all state/local taxes (yahoo.com)
Conclusion: The statistics are well-supported by current data:
- Yes, Illinois is #2 in property tax rate.
- Median home values are lower than the national median, but property taxes are still higher—around $5,189.
- Over half of voters cite taxes as their top concern, and nearly half would move because of it.
- Illinoisans shoulder one of the highest state/local tax burdens in the nation.
https://wirepoints.org/pritzkers-illinois-nations-worst-state-to-own-a-home-wirepoints/
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-property-taxes-no-2-double-national-average-in-2025/
Taxed straight outa Illinois!
Illustration courtesy of Wirepoints
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/daily-comics/illinois-population-divorce/
Dekalb, Illinois Issues writes:
New census data released reveals:
-172,000 Fewer Illinoisans under the age of 18 across all demographics
- fewer 45 to 64 year old's than there were in 2020
-12,000 less 35 to 39 year olds in 2024 than in 2020.
The one constant: The governor throughout this time period has been JB Pritzker (D) and the Illinois legislature is controlled by Democrats.
According to Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski “Fewer young people coming up in the pipeline that take jobs and pay taxes. Our workforce is shrinking….We better dramatically change our policies and flip the dynamics of our state, or we're going to be in massive trouble.”
- - Scary: New census data released Thursday also showed that Illinois’ total population is 12,710,158 in 2024, The population for Illinois in 2020 was 12,799,088.
Illinois is down close to 89,000 people
Since the 2020 census.
SAFE-T Act threatens Illinoisan's safety
Supporters of Illinois’ SAFE-T Act argue that eliminating cash bail will enhance public safety by allowing judges greater discretion to detain dangerous individuals—regardless of their financial means. They contend the new law, which took effect on January 1, 2023, replaces a system that often allowed wealthy defendants to walk free while poorer, nonviolent offenders remained jailed.
Proponents also downplay concerns about a mass release of defendants, stating the law provides mechanisms for judges to detain high-risk individuals pretrial. They insist that jurisdictions across the state will retain the tools needed to protect their communities, even without cash bail.
The Cost of Crime™ in DeKalb, IL
The total projected cost of crime in DeKalb for 2025 is $14,133,861. This translates to approximately $345 per resident and $845 per household. On average, crime-related costs account for 1.3% of the median household income in DeKalb.
These figures reflect only tangible costs, which include the following:
- Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 57.9%
- Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 29.5%
- Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 12.5%
To learn more about the map: https://crimegrade.org/violent-crime-dekalb-il/
