Lee County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.8 | 33,654 people · 56th most distressed in Illinois
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Lee County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.8 — 2326th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filings are moderately elevated. Within Illinois, it ranks 56th of 102 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lee County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 49.4 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 49.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 49
Housing Cost Burden 47.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 56
Structural Poverty 46.6
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 29
Disability Rate 54
Transfer Income Dependency 46
Consumer Credit Distress 32.1
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 39
Economic Vitality 20.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 8
Business Formation Rate 82
House Price Change (YoY) 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, IL 37.8 Normal —
DeKalb County, IL 55.8 Elevated +18.0
Whiteside County, IL 44.4 Normal +6.6
LaSalle County, IL 39.5 Normal +1.8
Ogle County, IL 32.7 Healthy -5.1
Bureau County, IL 32.2 Healthy -5.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Huntingdon County, PA 37.8 Normal +0.0
Union County, IA 37.7 Normal -0.1
Lake County, MN 37.9 Normal +0.1
Sanpete County, UT 37.9 Normal +0.1
North Slope Borough, AK 37.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lee 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 Lee 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 Lee County, Illinois?

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 37.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,326th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 49.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (37.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: DeKalb County, IL (55.8); Whiteside County, IL (44.4); LaSalle County, IL (39.5).

  • 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). Lee County's score of 37.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Lee 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 Lee County?

    Lee County, Illinois has a population of approximately 33,654 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.