Every three years, DuPage County Department of Community Services assesses the needs of residents in DuPage County as part of the Community Services Block Grant program. Since 2016, Community Services has partnered with Impact DuPage to conduct these assessments. The 2018 Community Needs Assessment is comprised of qualitative and quantitative data about needs and poverty in DuPage County.
The qualitative data was collected via a client survey, stakeholder survey, and focus groups. Surveys were distributed in both English and Spanish with nearly 2,500 responses collected from residents of DuPage County who obtain services from various health and human service organizations. The surveys asked about individuals’ needs within categories such as employment, education, housing, and health. The most common unmet needs mentioned were related to housing, finances, and transportation.
Overall, poverty rates in DuPage County remain below state and national rates, but the poverty rate has increased over the last decade. Disparities can be seen, as Hispanic or Latino, black or African American, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander residents have higher poverty rates than other race or ethnic populations. DuPage County continues to compare favorably to Illinois and the United States in terms of educational attainment and income.
Please visit the full 2018 Community Needs Assessment for more information, including the top needs reported by zip code.