According to the Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI), the Washington Police Pension Fund placed 258th among the most underfunded municipal police and fire pension systems in Illinois for 2024.
Structured under Illinois’ Village or Township pension framework, the fund disclosed total liabilities of $17,063,435 and an actuarial asset value of $10,716,546.
The resulting 62.8% funding ratio indicates the fund was short 37.2% of the actuarial assets required to meet all promised retirement benefits.
This shortfall left the system with roughly $6,346,889 in unfunded obligations.
The Illinois Department of Insurance provides data on municipal police and fire pensions, which are financially supported by local taxpayers in each community.
As of 2024, Illinois was home to 300 fire and 363 police pension funds; some communities maintain both types, while others have just one.Sixty-four municipalities in 2024 reported no unfunded police or fire pension liabilities and were left out of these rankings.
Police and fire pension promises, often known as “pension benefits,” support employees through deferred compensation. Civic leaders pledge future benefits to public safety personnel, sometimes without ensuring adequate employee or taxpayer contributions, creating pension debt. This gap forces local governments to increase annual payments, generally through property taxes, according to IDOI reporting.
Statewide, police and fire funds had an average funding ratio of 65.1% in 2024, which reflects a broad gap in local retirement system financing.
The pension fund with the lowest funding ratio for the year was Glencoe Firefighters Pension Fund at just 0.9%.
By contrast, Savoy Firefighters Pension Fund was the most securely funded in Illinois, with a 797.7% funding ratio and $149,803 in assets versus its liabilities.
Statewide Illinois pension debt climbed $1.5 billion in 2024, reaching $143.7 billion, according to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. The amount rose for the third consecutive year and neared its 20-year peak of $144.2 billion, reported in 2020.
The State Department of Insurance Public Pension Division showed that combined suburban and downstate pension funds held $12.1 billion in unfunded actuarial liabilities in 2024 with a collective 49.18% funding ratio, lacking over half the assets to cover projected benefits.
In 2024, Illinois led the nation in ratio of GDP allocated to unfunded pension liabilities, approach-ing 20%, according to the Equable Institute.
The Illinois Policy Institute, which identifies as a nonpartisan research organization, says this pension pressure is leading to higher taxpayer costs. Its data show taxpayer contributions to state pensions increased from $614 million in fiscal 1996 to $11.2 billion for fiscal 2025.
| Rank | Pension Fund | City | Fund Type | Funding % | Unfunded Liability | Total Liabilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glencoe Firefighters Pension Fund | Glencoe | Village or Township | 0.9% | $178,203 | $179,832 |
| 2 | South Chicago Heights Firefighters Pension Fund | South Chicago Heights | Village or Township | 2.8% | $491,701 | $505,700 |
| 3 | Bethany Firefighters Pension Fund | Bethany | Village or Township | 3.9% | $250,130 | $260,252 |
| 4 | Posen Firefighters Pension Fund | Posen | Village or Township | 6.8% | $1,013,154 | $1,086,589 |
| 5 | Nunda Rural FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | Crystal Lake | Fire Protection District | 8% | $155,069 | $168,587 |
| 6 | East St. Louis Firefighters Pension Fund | East St. Louis | City | 9.5% | $60,376,247 | $66,732,525 |
| 7 | Cairo Firefighters Pension Fund | Cairo | City | 10.9% | $4,757,521 | $5,338,526 |
| 8 | Riverdale Police Pension Fund | Riverdale | Village or Township | 14.9% | $45,058,163 | $52,928,748 |
| 9 | Washington Park Police Pension Fund | Caseyville | Village or Township | 17.3% | $2,295,422 | $2,775,919 |
| 10 | Lynwood Police Pension Fund | Lynwood | Village or Township | 17.5% | $13,417,550 | $16,254,380 |
| 11 | Stone Park Police Pension Fund | Stone Park | City | 21.4% | $17,485,225 | $22,232,105 |
| 12 | Harvey Firefighters Pension Fund | Harvey | City | 22% | $43,143,298 | $55,313,475 |
| 13 | Cairo Police Pension Fund | Cairo | Village or Township | 23.8% | $3,594,155 | $4,716,195 |
| 14 | Lincoln Firefighters Pension Fund | Lincoln | City | 24.3% | $17,964,106 | $23,728,200 |
| 15 | Burnham Police Pension Fund | Burnham | Village or Township | 25.8% | $7,033,692 | $9,481,825 |
| 16 | East Alton Police Pension Fund | East Alton | Village or Township | 29% | $7,752,199 | $10,913,295 |
| 16 | Danville Firefighters Pension Fund | Danville | City | 29% | $56,012,714 | $78,905,481 |
| 18 | North Chicago Police Pension Fund | North Chicago | City | 29.2% | $48,425,528 | $68,354,735 |
| 19 | Lyons Police Pension Fund | Lyons | Village or Township | 30.6% | $23,697,686 | $34,165,503 |
| 20 | Braidwood FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | Braidwood | Fire Protection District | 32% | $316,114 | $464,595 |
| 21 | Summit Police Pension Fund | Summit | City | 32.6% | $29,528,504 | $43,781,677 |
| 22 | Evergreen Park Firefighters Pension Fund | Evergreen Park | Village or Township | 32.7% | $2,456,722 | $3,650,796 |
| 23 | Blue Island Firefighters Pension Fund | Blue Island | City | 33.1% | $18,491,894 | $27,630,414 |
| 24 | Sauk Village Police Pension Fund | Sauk Village | Village or Township | 34.9% | $12,186,385 | $18,729,752 |
| 25 | Rock Island Firefighters Pension Fund | Rock Island | City | 35% | $57,571,195 | $88,569,214 |
| 26 | Wood Dale FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | Wood Dale | City | 35.1% | $32,350,412 | $49,829,895 |
| 27 | East Alton Firefighters Pension Fund | East Alton | Village or Township | 35.5% | $4,448,576 | $6,899,172 |
| 28 | Island Lake Police Pension Fund | Island Lake | Village or Township | 36.8% | $6,468,832 | $10,231,984 |
| 29 | Danville Police Pension Fund | Danville | City | 36.9% | $50,909,230 | $80,729,515 |
| 30 | Madison Police Pension Fund | Madison | City | 37.1% | $7,796,590 | $12,403,202 |
| 31 | Lincoln Police Pension Fund | Lincoln | City | 37.3% | $18,839,226 | $30,062,677 |
| 32 | Fairfield Police Pension Fund | Fairfield | City | 38% | $5,894,772 | $9,500,767 |
| 33 | Lansing Police Pension Fund | Lansing | Village or Township | 38.8% | $69,901,857 | $114,240,820 |
| 34 | Roberts Park FPD Firefighters Pension Fund | Justice | Fire Protection District | 39% | $17,530,740 | $28,746,543 |
| 35 | Forest Park Firefighters Pension Fund | Forest Park | Village or Township | 39.2% | $27,473,776 | $45,186,356 |
| 36 | Chicago Heights Firefighters Pension Fund | Chicago Heights | City | 39.3% | $62,391,745 | $102,720,418 |
| 37 | Rock Island Police Pension Fund | Rock Island | City | 39.7% | $73,031,157 | $121,052,017 |
| 37 | Orland Hills Police Pension Fund | Orland Hills | Village or Township | 39.7% | $6,319,400 | $10,478,984 |
| 39 | Worth Police Pension Fund | Worth | Village or Township | 39.8% | $21,860,053 | $36,333,997 |
| 39 | Blue Island Police Pension Fund | Blue Island | City | 39.8% | $32,059,062 | $53,267,960 |
| 41 | North Chicago Firefighters Pension Fund | North Chicago | City | 40.4% | $20,483,690 | $34,370,261 |
| 42 | Cicero Firefighters’ Pension Fund | Cicero | Village or Township | 40.8% | $79,226,461 | $133,790,594 |
| 43 | Forest Park Police Pension Fund | Forest Park | Village or Township | 41% | $37,697,488 | $63,937,177 |
| 44 | Melrose Park Firefighters Pension Fund | Melrose Park | City | 41.1% | $61,238,248 | $103,986,729 |
| 45 | Kewanee Firefighters Pension Fund | Kewanee | Fire Protection District | 41.3% | $11,229,196 | $19,115,798 |
| 46 | North Riverside Firefighters Pension Fund | North Riverside | Village or Township | 42.2% | $18,334,006 | $31,699,557 |
| 47 | Willow Springs Police Pension Fund | Willow Springs | City | 42.3% | $7,186,960 | $12,450,998 |
| 48 | East St. Louis Police Pension Fund | East St. Louis | City | 42.8% | $31,710,417 | $55,399,611 |
| 49 | Mattoon Firefighters Pension Fund | Mattoon | City | 43.3% | $28,949,965 | $51,067,176 |
| 50 | Streator Firefighters Pension Fund | Streator | City | 43.7% | $9,841,102 | $17,489,034 |
| 51 | Pekin Firefighters Pension Fund | Pekin | City | 44.2% | $44,972,438 | $80,603,425 |
| 52 | Antioch Police Pension Fund | Antioch | Village or Township | 44.3% | $22,507,263 | $40,430,804 |
| 53 | Murphysboro Police Pension Fund | Murphysboro | City | 44.8% | $7,400,477 | $13,406,403 |
| 54 | Rockford Firefighters Pension Fund | Rockford | City | 45% | $243,720,485 | $442,821,841 |
| 55 | West Frankfort Police Pension Fund | West Frankfort | City | 45.1% | $8,460,333 | $15,416,610 |
| 56 | Cahokia Heights Police Pension Fund | Centreville | City | 45.3% | $19,664,032 | $35,981,323 |
| 57 | Hillside Police Pension Fund | Hillside | Village or Township | 45.9% | $28,601,329 | $52,865,931 |
| 58 | Oakbrook Terrace Fire Protection District Pension Fund | Oakbrook Terrace | City | 46% | $2,639,694 | $4,889,901 |
| 58 | Melrose Park Police Pension Fund | Melrose Park | Village or Township | 46% | $56,186,523 | $104,105,647 |
| 58 | Charleston Police Pension Fund | Charleston | City | 46% | $22,275,326 | $41,224,924 |
| 61 | Dekalb Firefighters Pension Fund | De Kalb | City | 46.1% | $52,987,441 | $98,225,613 |
| 62 | Oak Lawn Police Pension Fund | Oak Lawn | City | 46.3% | $117,769,104 | $219,171,942 |
| 62 | Stickney Police Pension Fund | Stickney | Village or Township | 46.3% | $11,415,170 | $21,246,665 |
| 64 | Canton Firefighters Pension Fund | Canton | City | 46.4% | $11,552,418 | $21,564,491 |
| 65 | North Riverside Police Pension Fund | North Riverside | Village or Township | 46.6% | $26,723,002 | $50,002,140 |
| 65 | Riverside Police Pension Fund | Riverside | City | 46.6% | $17,923,424 | $33,563,776 |
| 67 | Manhattan Police Pension Fund | Manhattan | Village or Township | 46.7% | $5,224,436 | $9,810,452 |
| 68 | Hillside Firefighters Pension Fund | Hillside | Village or Township | 47% | $19,279,606 | $36,391,365 |
| 68 | Lasalle Police Pension Fund | La Salle | Village or Township | 47% | $14,445,385 | $27,269,276 |
| 68 | River Grove Police Pension Fund | River Grove | Village or Township | 47% | $18,393,924 | $34,717,954 |
| 71 | Franklin Park Police Pension Fund | Franklin Park | Village or Township | 47.3% | $42,337,489 | $80,377,132 |
| 72 | Mattoon Police Pension Fund | Mattoon | City | 47.4% | $29,226,396 | $55,546,726 |
| 73 | West Frankfort Firefighters Pension Fund | West Frankfort | City | 47.6% | $5,931,509 | $11,320,574 |
| 74 | Park Forest Police Pension Fund | Park Forest | Village or Township | 47.7% | $33,109,771 | $63,259,495 |
| 75 | Jerseyville Police Pension Fund | Jerseyville | Village or Township | 47.8% | $8,021,268 | $15,361,077 |
| 76 | Marengo Police Pension Fund | Marengo | City | 47.9% | $8,865,811 | $17,022,277 |
| 76 | Maywood Police Pension Fund | Maywood | Village or Township | 47.9% | $40,650,996 | $78,048,329 |
| 78 | Charleston Firefighters Pension Fund | Charleston | City | 48.1% | $21,070,752 | $40,612,567 |
| 78 | Ottawa Firefighters Pension Fund | Ottawa | City | 48.1% | $21,080,148 | $40,601,081 |
| 78 | Matteson Firefighters Pension Fund | Matteson | Village or Township | 48.1% | $28,336,901 | $54,641,705 |
| 81 | Olympia Fields Police Pension Fund | Olympia Fields | Village or Township | 48.3% | $15,064,305 | $29,129,269 |
| 81 | Wayne Police Pension Fund | Wayne | Village or Township | 48.3% | $2,483,666 | $4,803,696 |
| 83 | Chicago Heights Police Pension Fund | Chicago Heights | Village or Township | 48.5% | $66,721,222 | $129,652,992 |
| 84 | Itasca Police Pension Fund | Itasca | Village or Township | 48.8% | $22,478,727 | $43,875,854 |
| 84 | Schiller Park Police Pension Fund | Schiller Park | Village or Township | 48.8% | $27,674,551 | $54,075,306 |
| 86 | Rockford Police Pension Fund | Rockford | City | 49.7% | $243,290,612 | $484,039,160 |
| 87 | Bridgeview Firefighters Pension Fund | Bridgeview | Village or Township | 49.8% | $31,729,816 | $63,208,657 |
| 88 | Carmi Police Pension Fund | Carmi | City | 49.9% | $5,017,333 | $10,004,863 |
| 89 | Savanna Firefighters Pension Fund | Savanna | City | 50% | $1,352,246 | $2,703,812 |
| 90 | Des Plaines Police Pension Fund | Des Plaines | Village or Township | 50.2% | $98,091,406 | $196,967,826 |
| 91 | South Chicago Heights Police Pension Fund | South Chicago Heights | City | 50.4% | $3,962,996 | $7,982,608 |
| 91 | Centralia Police Pension Fund | Centralia | City | 50.4% | $14,338,909 | $28,938,213 |
| 91 | Harrisburg Police Pension Fund | Harrisburg | City | 50.4% | $7,035,937 | $14,185,669 |
| 94 | Niles Police Pension Fund | Niles | City | 50.5% | $51,077,927 | $103,200,536 |
| 94 | Barrington Police Pension Fund | Barrington | Village or Township | 50.5% | $26,351,154 | $53,218,265 |
| 94 | Pontoon Beach Police Pension Fund | Pontoon Beach | Village or Township | 50.5% | $7,579,533 | $15,319,113 |
| 97 | Flossmoor Firefighters Pension Fund | Flossmoor | Village or Township | 50.6% | $3,521,600 | $7,132,460 |
| 98 | Caseyville Police Pension Fund | Caseyville | Village or Township | 50.7% | $3,440,097 | $6,979,835 |
| 98 | Zion Police Pension Fund | Zion | City | 50.7% | $37,726,460 | $76,487,262 |
| 100 | Springfield Firefighter’s Pension Fund | Springfield | Village or Township | 50.8% | $173,150,294 | $352,156,867 |
Details for this article were sourced from the Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI). Access the IDOI’s original datasets here.
