Pope County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.4 | 3,707 people · 70th most distressed in Illinois
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Pope County, IL ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.4 — 2566th 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 70th of 102 counties. It scores lower 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. Pope County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 84.1 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 84.1
Unemployment Rate 90
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 73.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 91
House Price Change (YoY) 23
Consumer Credit Distress 27.2
Debt in Collections 30
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 40
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 53
Legal Distress 11.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11
Housing Cost Burden 6.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pope County
Pope County, IL 33.4 Healthy —
Saline County, IL 59.0 Elevated +25.6
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated +22.5
Williamson County, IL 52.8 Elevated +19.4
Massac County, IL 48.2 Normal +14.8
Hardin County, IL 40.6 Normal +7.2
Johnson County, IL 39.8 Normal +6.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pope County
Hooker County, NE 33.4 Healthy -0.0
Smith County, KS 33.3 Healthy -0.1
Adams County, IA 33.3 Healthy -0.1
Yakutat City and Borough, AK 33.5 Healthy +0.2
Pondera County, MT 33.5 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope County, Illinois?

    Pope County has a County Distress Index score of 33.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,566th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 70th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pope County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pope County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 84.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Pope County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pope County (33.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Saline County, IL (59.0); Livingston County, KY (55.8); Williamson County, IL (52.8).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Pope County's score of 33.4 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Pope 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 Pope County?

    Pope County, Illinois has a population of approximately 3,707 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.