Getting by Getting Ahead: The 2009 Illinois Self-Sufficiency Standard

This report utilizes the 2009 Illinois Self-Sufficiency Standard to help answer these questions. The Self-Sufficiency Standard calculates a very basic, modest budget that helps us better understand the cost of living in each Illinois county for a variety of different family types -- from single adults all the way up to two adults with children of various ages and dependent adults in the household. It illustrates how much income families need to make ends meet, with no public or private assistance.