New data highlight racial and geographic inequities in youth and young adult joblessness across Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois
CHICAGO, May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In parts of Chicago, more than four out of five teens are out of work. A new report released by the University of Illinois Chicago’s Great Cities Institute, commissioned by the Alternative Schools Network, reveals persistent and severe joblessness among youth and young adults, especially for Black and Latino residents, in Chicago and across the state.
The report, Youth Employment Data Brief: Racial and Geographic Inequities in Youth and Young Adult Joblessness and Disconnection in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and the U.S., 2019–2023, finds that while overall labor market conditions have improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, many young people, particularly those in communities of color, remain disconnected from both school and work.
To fill the gap, a coalition of nonprofits proposes a job-training and placement program fueled by a $150 million appropriation from the state. Coalition members say that money could put 50,000 jobless youth and young adults into jobs paying $15 per hour throughout the summer and for the entire year for those not in school.
“By connecting young people to meaningful opportunities, this program would make our communities safer, strengthen the state’s economy and expand the labor market with a new generation of workers,” said Rep. Justin Slaughter (27th), House chairman of the state legislative Black Caucus. “With these jobs and some social services that will be available to participants, the young people would feel prepared to navigate conflict and able to ask for the support they need to succeed in the workforce.”
Key findings from the 2023 data include:
- Young Black adults in Chicago are jobless at twice the rate of white peers. For Black 20- to 24-year-olds in Chicago, 47.6% were jobless. Statewide for that group the rate was 41%. In contrast, 19.5% of white 20- to 24-year-olds in Chicago were jobless, and 23.9% statewide. For Hispanic or Latino 20- to 24-year-olds, the jobless rate was 25.1% in Chicago and 22.9% statewide.
- One in seven Black 16- to 19-year-olds in Chicago was out of school and jobless, more than four times the rate for white peers. The out-of-school and jobless rate for Black 16- to 19-year-olds in Chicago was 14.3%, compared to 11.7% statewide. For the White population in that age group, the rate was 3.1% in Chicago and 5.7% statewide. Among Hispanic or Latino 16- to 19-year-olds, the rate was 3.6% in Chicago and 4.9% statewide.
- Youth joblessness topped 80% in parts of Chicago’s South and West Sides. Some South and West Side areas of Chicago had jobless rates exceeding 80% for 16- to 19-year-olds, and out-of-school and jobless rates above 30% for 20- to 24-year-olds.
Evidence supports the effectiveness of youth employment programs:
- Violent crime decreases. Analysis of one Chicago program saw a 43% drop in violent crime arrests during the program, so that at $3,000 per participant, the program generated an estimated 11:1 benefit-cost ratio, primarily from reduced criminal justice costs.
- Ready-to-work & community benefits. In a Boston program, participants were 29 percentage points more likely to have resumes prepared and 10 percentage points more likely to practice interview skills, and the youths experienced a 14.8 percentage point increase in feeling connected to people in their neighborhood and stronger mentorship ties.
- Academic benefits. A New York summer employment program showed participation led to statistically significant increases in the number of high school Regents exams taken and passed. Participating students made up 20% of the pass-rate gap between low- and higher-income students.
- Long-term financial benefits. Drawing from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, a study of adolescent work experience influences on adult economic outcomes found:
- Higher adult wealth: Youth employment correlates with higher adult wealth accumulation and increased stock market participation
- Greater homeownership: Early work experience predicts greater likelihood of homeownership
“We can’t continue to leave our young people behind,” said Sen. Willie Preston (16th), Senate chair of the state legislative Black Caucus. “These numbers show we have to get this state’s youth ready to carry the burden of keeping our economy running full speed ahead. Job programs for them get us a long way towards that goal.”
“Policymakers and institutions must take targeted actions to expand access to employment, skills training, and mentorship opportunities, especially in communities hardest hit by unemployment and economic hardship,” the report concludes.
“If we invest in our young people, it will strengthen our state’s economy for years to come,” ASN Executive Director Jack Wuest said. “One of the major goals of this program is to get employers to get to know, and then hire, these young people full time when they have finished school.”
ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS NETWORK
The Alternative Schools Network is a not-for-profit organization in Chicago working to provide quality education with a specific emphasis on inner-city children, youth and adults. Since 1973, ASN has been supporting community based and community-run programs to develop and expand training and other educational services in Chicago’s inner-city neighborhoods. In addition to supporting direct services, ASN has been a consistent and effective advocate for community-based services whereby the people involved are active participants in developing and running programs, not passive recipients of services. To shape policies and programs, ASN has built an impressive track record of operating successful education, employment and support service programs. For more information please visit www.asnchicago.org.
ABOUT The UIC Great Cities Institute
The UIC Great Cities Institute works to link academic resources with a range of partners to address urban issues by providing research, policy analysis and program development. Tied to the University of Illinois at Chicago Great Cities Commitment, GCI seeks to improve quality of life in Chicago, its metropolitan region and cities throughout the world. For more information go to www.greatcities.uic.edu
CONTACT:
LAURIE R. GLENN
773.704.7246
[email protected]
SOURCE Alternative Schools Network
