Illinois Joins States With Biggest Debts Gauged by Fitch

Illinois joins Connecticut and Hawaii among U.S. states with the largest debt burdens relative to residents’ personal income, when pension obligations are added, according to new measurements from Fitch Ratings.

The figures “provide a more complete comparative indicator of long-term burdens” by combining each state’s net tax-supported debt with unfunded pension obligations, according to a Fitch report released today. The median value for all states measured is 6.9 percent of personal income, or more than double the 3.1 percent rate for levy-backed debt.