(25News Now) – The minimum wage throughout Illinois will rise to $15 per hour on the first of the year.

This marks the seventh and final increase after legislation signed by Gov. JB Pritzker in 2019 that established a schedule of increases.

The minimum wage for tipped workers goes up to $9 per hour and workers under 18 working less than 650 hours per calendar year will see their hourly wage increase to $13 per hour.

“Since day one of my administration, I’ve made it my mission to build an economy that works for everyone and raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour fulfills that promise to our working families,” Pritzker said. “This increase honors the workers who power our state and ensures they can better support their families, bringing us closer to a stronger, more equitable economy for all.”

Minimum-wage workers are encouraged to review their paystubs in the new year to ensure they are being correctly paid.

Those with a minimum wage complaint can file with the Illinois Department of Labor by calling the Minimum Wage Toll Free Hotline at (800) 478-3998.Toll-Free

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A recent study from financial techology company SmartAsset aggregated the 10 wealthiest counties in Illinois, ranking them state and nationwide.

The study compared median income, property value and investment income to give each county a “wealth index score,” ranking each accordingly.

Woodford County came in at 13th statewide, with other nearby counties falling lower on the list. Take a look at SmartAsset’s findings about wealth in Illinois and local counties.

What are the top 10 wealthiest counties in IL?

SmartAsset data is based on median income, investment income, median home value and wealth index. The top 10 counties in Illinois are:

1. Lake County ($104,553)($144,643)($353,559)(35.31)
2. DuPage County ($107,035)($72,712)($401,641)(34.06)
3. Kendall County ($106,358)($26,804)($360,529)(31.64)
4. Will County ($103,678)($35,444)($339,705)(31.00)
5. McHenry County ($100,101)($61,544)($333,572)(30.99)
6. Kane County ($96,400)($49,121)($343,964)(29.82)
7. Monroe County ($100,685)($34,250)($296,096)(29.59)
8. Cook County ($78,304)($116,986)($306,108)($27.38)
9. Grundy County ($89,993)($39,720)($290,793)(27.17)
10. Boone County ($80,502)($44,572)($250,642)(24.48)

Illinois’ median income is $62,930. The average investment income is $29,748, and the median home value is $151,016.

More: WalletHub released its list of best universities for 2025. Here’s how Illinois schools rank

Where do local counties rank on the list?

Woodford County earned the highest spot in the Peoria area, coming in at No. 13 in the statewide rank. SmartAsset lists the median income as $80,093, the median home value at $198,874 and the investment income as $33,976. Woodford is the No. 712 wealthiest county nationwide.

McLean County ranked just below at 15th in the state with a median income of $75,356. The county reported a median home value of $75,356 with an investment income of $34,164. McLean’s national rank is 786.

Tazewell County took the No. 22 spot on the list. The county reported a median income of $74,606, a median home value of $167,019 and an investment income of 31,594. Tazewell County ranks No. 1,014 nationally.

Peoria County ranked No. 28 on the list, with a median income of $63,409. Peoria reported its median home value as $143,026, and an investment income of $82,322. Peoria falls at No. 1,262 nationally.

What lllinois county has the highest median income?

DuPage County, which holds the No. 2 spot for overall wealth, was reported to have the highest median income at $107,035.

Kendall County, beating its No. 3 spot in overall wealth, had the second highest median income at $106,358. While Lake County ranked as the wealthiest county overall, it had the third-highest median income of $104,553.

Spanning all counties, the overall median income is $62,930.

Million dollar homes: Peoria property listed at $1.3 million includes modest home, sprawling horse farm

What Illinois county has the highest investment income?

Lake County was the IL county with the highest investment income, sitting at $144,643.

Cook County, eighth in overall wealth, was second on the list with an investment income of $116,986.

Despite charting at No. 28 in the list for overall wealth, Peoria County had the third highest investment income at $82,322.

What Illinois county has the highest median home value?

DuPage County scored first on the list, with a median home value of $401,641. Coming in second was Kendall County, with a median home value of $360,529, and in third Lake County with a value of $353,559.

What Illinois county had the lowest ranking in wealth?

With a median income of $40,365, Alexander County ranked last out of Illinois’ 102 counties. Alexander County’s median home value is $40,082, with an average investment income of $15,656. The county ranked No. 3,034 nationally.

CHICAGO (WLS) — It is week 11 in Michael Madigan’s bribery trial.

The government on Monday called to the stand a former legislator, who has already served prison time himself.

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The former Illinois House speaker is accused of using his position to get Eddie Acevedo two lucrative contracts that did not require him to do any work.

Former state Rep. Acevedo took the stand as a witness Monday afternoon.

A political ally of then-Speaker Madigan, Acevedo is a reluctant witness, who fought and failed to squash the subpoena issued to compel his testimony.

Acevedo waited patiently Monday morning for the handicap access doors at Dirksen Federal Courthouse to open for him. He then waited several hours more before taking the stand.

Acevedo served six months in prison for tax evasion in 2022, and is being given immunity in exchange for his testimony.

Mike Madigan trial live updates: Former state Rep. Acevedo to testify in ex-speaker trial

The government alleges the former assistant majority leader, who left the general assembly in 2017, used his relationship with Madigan to receive two no-work contracts: one from ComEd and one from AT&T, worth over $140,000.

Those contracts, prosecutors say, were bribes given in exchange for the speaker’s legislative help in Springfield.

On the stand earlier, former Madigan aide and AT&T contract lobbyist Tom Cullen, whose contract Acevedo was under, testified he never saw any real work from Acevedo, saying that a report he had been assigned to write “was just kind of a joke.”

Acevedo’s testimony continued Monday evening, and will continue into Tuesday, when the government might rest its case against Madigan.

Madigan and co-defendant McClain face bribery and racketeering charges.

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