By Megan Cottrell : Dec 22 2010
Jeff Kelly Lowenstein contributed to this report.
Does being disabled mean you can't hold down a full-time job? While it shouldn't, in many Chicago neighborhoods, it seems so.
When The Chicago Reporter took a look at the number of people working full time in Chicago from 2009 census data, between the ages of 16 and 64, we found a lot of neighborhoods where that number is really high. In Lakeview and Lincoln Park, 69 percent of people of working age work full time.
Some neighborhoods, that number isn't so good. Take a look at Englewood, West Englewood, Auburn Gresham and Washington Heights, only 38 percent of people work full time.
But when you factor in having a disability into the equation, those numbers drop precipitous
In Englewood, West Englewood, Washington Heights and Auburn Gresham, only 6 percent of people with disabilities work full time. Six percent.
When you factor in the high number of disabled people in communities of color, these incredibly low numbers are terrible for a community. Being unemployed or underemployed means more residents living in poverty, a smaller tax base and more need for social services.
Even in Lakeview and Lincoln Park, where the majority of nondisabled people are working full time, only 26 percent of people with disabilities work full time.
The "disability" category in the census data includes all kinds of disabilities--physical, mental, visual, hearing, etc. Having one of those disabilities shouldn't mean you're fated to live in poverty because you can't work. We've got the Americans with Disabilities Act to make physical accommodations more equal and prevent discrimination. But it clearly hasn't made a difference for many who still can't find full-time work to support themselves and their families.
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Where does your community shake out? Take a look:
Percent Disabled Working Full Time :
PUMA Community Area Percent Disabled Working Full Time
.
Edgewater 14%
. .
Oakland 12%
.
Washington Park 12%
.
Avalon Park 25%
.
Chatham 25%
.
Greater Grand Crossing 25%
.
South Shore 25%
.
Woodlawn 25%
.
Auburn Gresham 6%
.
Englewood 6%
.
Washington Heights 6%
.
West Englewood 6%
.
Ashburn 24%
.
Beverly 24%
.
Morgan Park 24%
.
Mount Greenwood 24%
.
Pullman 13%
.
Riverdale 13%
.
Roseland 13%
.
West Pullman 13%
.
Burnside 19%
.
Calumet Heights 19%
.
East Side 19%
.
Hegewisch 19%
.
South Chicago 19%
.
South Deering 19%
Rogers Park 14%
.
Uptown 14%
.
Lake View 27%
.
Lincoln Park 27%
.
Lincoln Square 16%
.
North Center 16%
.
West Ridge 16%
.
Albany Park 18%
.
Forest Glen 18%
.
Irving Park 18%
.
North Park 18%
.
Dunning 26%
.
Edison Park 26%
.
Jefferson Park 26%
.
Norwood Park 26%
.
O'Hare 26%
.
Belmont Cragin 38%
.
Montclare 38%
.
Portage Park 38%
.
Austin 22%
.
East Garfield Park 10%
.
Humboldt Park 10%
.
North Lawndale 10%
.
West Garfield Park 10%
.
Avondale 30%
.
Hermosa 30%
.
Logan Square 30%
.
West Town 30%
.
Loop 27%
.
Near North Side 27%
.
Near South Side 27%
.
Near West Side 27%
.
Lower West Side 13%
.
South Lawndale 13%
.
Archer Heights 32%
.
Armour Square 32%
.
Bridgeport 32%
.
Brighton Park 32%
.
McKinley Park 32%
.
New City 32%
.
Chicago Lawn 28%
.
Clearing 28%
.
Gage Park 28%
.
Garfield Ridge 28%
.
West Elsdon 28%
.
West Lawn 28%
.
Douglas 12%
.
Fuller Park 12%
.
Grand Boulevard 12%
.
Hyde Park 12%
.
Kenwood 12%
.
Oakland 12%
.
Washington Park 12%
.
Avalon Park 25%
.
Chatham 25%
.
Greater Grand Crossing 25%
.
South Shore 25%
.
Woodlawn 25%
.
Auburn Gresham 6%
.
Englewood 6%
.
Washington Heights 6%
.
West Englewood 6%
.
Ashburn 24%
.
Beverly 24%
.
Morgan Park 24%
.
Mount Greenwood 24%
.
Pullman 13%
.
Riverdale 13%
.
Roseland 13%
.
West Pullman 13%
.
Burnside 19%
.
Calumet Heights 19%
.
East Side 19%
.
Hegewisch 19%
.
South Chicago 19%
.
South Deering 19%
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