St. Clair County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.5 | 251,018 people · 1st most distressed in Illinois
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

St. Clair County, IL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.5 — 850th 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 1st 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. St. Clair County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.0 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 78
Legal Distress 72.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Consumer Credit Distress 58.6
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 69
Structural Poverty 50.9
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 49
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 43
Transfer Income Dependency 44
Economic Vitality 50.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 31

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Clair County
St. Clair County, IL 61.5 Elevated —
St. Louis city, MO 73.9 Serious +12.4
St. Louis County, MO 49.0 Normal -12.5
Madison County, IL 47.0 Normal -14.5
Randolph County, IL 40.0 Normal -21.4
Clinton County, IL 26.9 Healthy -34.6
Monroe County, IL 20.1 Healthy -41.4
Washington County, IL 19.8 Healthy -41.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Clair County
Hudson County, NJ 61.3 Elevated -0.1
New Castle County, DE 61.7 Elevated +0.2
Jefferson County, KY 61.7 Elevated +0.2
Spartanburg County, SC 61.2 Elevated -0.2
Lehigh County, PA 61.2 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Clair County as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Clair County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near St. Clair County.

URBAN LEAGUE OF METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS - ST. CLAIR COUNTY OPERATIONS
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS
618-274-1150-126 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFair HousingHomeless/Displacement

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 St. Clair 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for St. Clair County, Illinois?

    St. Clair County has a County Distress Index score of 61.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 850th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Clair County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Clair County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does St. Clair County compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Clair County (61.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: St. Louis city, MO (73.9); St. Louis County, MO (49.0); Madison County, IL (47.0).

  • 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). St. Clair County's score of 61.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power St. Clair County's CDI score?

    St. Clair 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 St. Clair County?

    St. Clair County, Illinois has a population of approximately 251,018 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.