McDonough County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.7 | 26,839 people · 4th most distressed in Illinois
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McDonough County, IL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.7 — 908th 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 4th of 102 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McDonough County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 88.9 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 88.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 90
Structural Poverty 68.3
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 94
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 38
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Economic Vitality 58.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Consumer Credit Distress 48.9
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 35
Subprime Credit Population 39
Legal Distress 40.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McDonough County
McDonough County, IL 60.7 Elevated —
Henderson County, IL 40.8 Normal -19.9
Fulton County, IL 40.0 Normal -20.7
Warren County, IL 32.6 Healthy -28.1
Schuyler County, IL 31.9 Healthy -28.9
Hancock County, IL 28.9 Healthy -31.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McDonough County
Miami County, IN 60.7 Elevated +0.0
Covington County, MS 60.7 Elevated +0.0
Butler County, KY 60.7 Elevated +0.0
Carroll County, KY 60.7 Elevated +0.0
Guernsey County, OH 60.7 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in McDonough 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 McDonough 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    McDonough County has a County Distress Index score of 60.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 908th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McDonough County?

    The primary driver of distress in McDonough County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 88.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does McDonough County compare to neighboring counties?

    McDonough County (60.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Henderson County, IL (40.8); Fulton County, IL (40.0); Warren County, IL (32.6).

  • 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). McDonough County's score of 60.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    McDonough 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 McDonough County?

    McDonough County, Illinois has a population of approximately 26,839 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.