Staying Fit
Understanding the economic barriers faced by Illinoisans to saving money and living comfortably in retirement is an essential step to providing them with the most useful resources, guidance, and legislative support focused on consumer financial security.
To this end, AARP commissioned NORC at the University of Chicago in March 2024 to conduct a survey of Illinoisans ages 18 and older on their personal and retirement savings behavior, spending and personal budget activity, household expenses, managing debt, and banking.
Key Findings
- Half (51%) of all Illinoisans 18 and older say they are not contributing to a retirement savings account. This includes one in three (33%) workers employed full or part-time.
- Six in 10 (60%) Illinois adults are anxious about having enough money to live comfortably in retirement, including four in 10 (41%) retirees.
- Half of Illinois adults rate their current financial situation as fair or poor. Among them are 50% of employed workers and almost half (45%) of Illinoisans 50 and older.
Methodology
The survey was fielded in March 2024, and 1,249 respondents state-wide completed the survey. The study included oversamples of Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino adults ages 18 and older. The final data was weighted by age, race/Hispanic ethnicity, education, and gender. For more details, see the full methodology.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Sauer at jsauer@aarp.org. For media inquiries, please contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.
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