Kane County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.5 | 514,982 people · 31st most distressed in Illinois
American Default Research

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Kane County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.5 — 1928th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Illinois, it ranks 31st of 102 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Kane County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.0 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 43
Economic Vitality 66.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 26
Legal Distress 61.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Consumer Credit Distress 29.0
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 35
Structural Poverty 18.1
Unemployment Rate 90
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 17
Disability Rate 4
Transfer Income Dependency 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Kane County
Kane County, IL 44.5 Normal —
Cook County, IL 57.7 Elevated +13.2
DeKalb County, IL 55.8 Elevated +11.3
Kendall County, IL 41.9 Normal -2.6
McHenry County, IL 37.1 Normal -7.4
DuPage County, IL 31.5 Healthy -13.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Kane County
Will County, IL 44.7 Normal +0.2
Rockland County, NY 44.1 Normal -0.4
Weber County, UT 44.9 Normal +0.4
Dutchess County, NY 43.7 Normal -0.8
Polk County, IA 43.6 Normal -0.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kane County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Kane County.

CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICES OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Elgin
815-338-5757 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
THE NEIGHBOR PROJECT
Aurora
630-906-9400 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Illinois →

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 Kane 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 Kane County, Illinois?

    Kane County has a County Distress Index score of 44.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,928th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kane County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kane County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Kane County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kane County (44.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Cook County, IL (57.7); DeKalb County, IL (55.8); Kendall County, IL (41.9).

  • 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 Normal 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). Kane County's score of 44.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Kane 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 Kane County?

    Kane County, Illinois has a population of approximately 514,982 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.