Illinois “Reality Check” app

The cost of living in Chicago can cost $10,000 or more per year than in downstate Illinois, mostly because of housing costs, according to a new budgeting and career app released by the State of Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIt) the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).

The Illinois “Reality Check” app, part of the state’s Going Mobile program, allows young adults, recent graduates — and even adults considering a career change — to estimate the costs of a future lifestyle and “find a path,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays.

“Reality Check is a great way for young adults to really begin to consider their life choices. It shows the importance of education and job training to see what they need to do to get a good-paying job and/or stay in school.”

The app creates a profile asking questions such as “where do you want to live?” and “what will you use for transportation?” The app then uses employment salary data to suggest different careers. The app also includes the cost of student loan debt as a monthly payment, which increases based on the degree acquired.

Cost-of-living averages are pro-rated for 13 different Illinois cities. A two-bedroom apartment can cost $660 per month rent in south-central Mt. Vernon (pop. 15,000) but in Waukegan or Chicago, that same apartment can cost $1,175, according to the app. Users can enter in their own rent and utility amounts for more precise budgeting.

The app uses data provided by the Illinois Career Information System, a branch of IDES that provides regional career information based on data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

It is hoped the digital tool can be used by school counselors and teachers. “[Reality Check] can serve a powerful conversation-starter for facilitators of afterschool and other programs working with youth who need help picturing a path to financially sustainable futures,” a press release said.

The app is one of a series of computer- and device-based services promoted by the IDOT, which has a goal to “web-enable 80 percent of citizen interactions [with the state of Illinois] over the next 18 months,” said Hardik Bhatt, DoIT’s chief information officer.

The app, available for Apple or Android devices, was developed by the University of Oregon Digital Press.

— New app calculates costs of living and career salaries in Illinois  —