Saline County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.0 | 22,873 people · 7th most distressed in Illinois
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Saline County, IL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.0 — 1019th 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 7th of 102 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Saline County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 85.2 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 85.3
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Legal Distress 62.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 62
Housing Cost Burden 55.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 76
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 47
Consumer Credit Distress 53.8
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Uninsured Rate 28
Subprime Credit Population 68
Economic Vitality 52.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 91

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Saline County
Saline County, IL 59.0 Elevated —
Franklin County, IL 61.3 Elevated +2.3
Williamson County, IL 52.8 Elevated -6.2
Hardin County, IL 40.6 Normal -18.5
Johnson County, IL 39.8 Normal -19.3
Hamilton County, IL 35.7 Normal -23.3
Gallatin County, IL 35.7 Normal -23.4
Pope County, IL 33.4 Healthy -25.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Saline County
Washington County, IN 59.0 Elevated +0.0
Grant County, KY 59.0 Elevated -0.0
Hopkins County, KY 59.0 Elevated +0.0
Franklin County, AL 59.1 Elevated +0.0
Roosevelt County, MT 59.1 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Saline 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 Saline 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 Saline County, Illinois?

    Saline County has a County Distress Index score of 59.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,019th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Saline County?

    The primary driver of distress in Saline County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 85.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Saline County compare to neighboring counties?

    Saline County (59.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Franklin County, IL (61.3); Williamson County, IL (52.8); Hardin County, IL (40.6).

  • 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). Saline County's score of 59.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Saline 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 Saline County?

    Saline County, Illinois has a population of approximately 22,873 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.