Franklin County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.3 | 37,138 people · 2nd most distressed in Illinois
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Franklin County, IL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.3 — 865th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Illinois, it ranks 2nd of 102 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 83.1 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 83.1
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Legal Distress 64.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Consumer Credit Distress 58.9
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 63
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 67
Housing Cost Burden 55.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 48
Economic Vitality 54.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 36
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 85

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, IL 61.3 Elevated —
Jackson County, IL 59.9 Elevated -1.4
Saline County, IL 59.0 Elevated -2.3
Jefferson County, IL 54.8 Elevated -6.6
Williamson County, IL 52.8 Elevated -8.5
Perry County, IL 38.7 Normal -22.6
Hamilton County, IL 35.7 Normal -25.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Chilton County, AL 61.3 Elevated 0.0
Caswell County, NC 61.3 Elevated 0.0
Conway County, AR 61.3 Elevated -0.0
Summers County, WV 61.3 Elevated -0.0
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Franklin County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Franklin County

Find an Attorney

Illinois State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Illinois State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-922-8757

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Franklin County residents at no cost.

Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO)
Legal Aid Chicago (formerly LAF) 312-341-1070
Land of Lincoln Legal Aid 217-525-7151
Prairie State Legal Services 1-800-531-7057
Illinois State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 1-800-922-8757

Self-Help Resources

Illinois Legal Aid Online — Foreclosure Comprehensive self-help guides for Illinois foreclosure
IHDA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Illinois →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Franklin County, Illinois?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 61.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 865th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 83.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (61.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jackson County, IL (59.9); Saline County, IL (59.0); Jefferson County, IL (54.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Franklin County's score of 61.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Franklin County's CDI score?

    Franklin County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Illinois has a population of approximately 37,138 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.