Grants Bolster Illinois Port District’s Financial and Community Assets
The Takeaway: Funding and assistance by the Illinois Coastal Management Program strengthens operations and helps remedy infrastructure problems.
Learn MoreStates / Illinois
Illinois
45.7%
Population of State Living in Coastal Areas
$180.7 Billion
Coastal Employment
Annual Wages
38
Climate and Weather Disasters
(Affecting Illinois 2010 to 2018)*
Coastal Demographics
Of the total population of approximately 12.9 million in Illinois, 5.9 million people live in coastal portions of the state.
Coastal Economy
Coastal Illinois employs 2.9 million people annually, earning a total of about $191 billion. This equates to almost $474 billion in gross domestic product.
Natural Hazards
Three billion-dollar weather disaster affected Illinois in 2018—and a total of 38 affected the state between 2010 and 2018. One of the costliest and deadliest years was 2017, which saw numerous tornadoes and historic levels of flooding.*
Sources:
American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates (NOAA Data)
*Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (NOAA Website)
(All economic and demographic facts represent the latest data available [2015] and are regularly updated as new data become available)
Making a Difference
in Illinois
Illinois Boosts Ecology, Community along Lake Michigan Industrial Corridor
The Takeaway: Habitat restoration, multiuse trails, an accessible kayak launch, a more effective port district—the Illinois Coastal Management Program helps bring a fresh new spirit to this area.
Learn MoreProgram Draws People of Faith to Stories of Illinois Coast
The Takeaway: Thousands took part in the “Migration & Me,” program spotlighting the journeys of butterflies, bees, and people, with support from the Illinois Coastal Management Program.
Learn MorePrograms Improve Public Access for All
The Takeaway: NOAA safeguards coastal public access and inclusive adventures through the efforts of the National Coastal Zone Management Program and National Estuarine Research Reserve System.
Learn MoreRestoration Efforts for Great Lakes Shoreline
The Takeaway: This shoreline report, co-authored by a Digital Coast scientist, makes plain the critical importance of NOAA’s nature-based restoration projects in the Great Lakes region.
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