Boone County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.6 | 53,202 people · 64th most distressed in Illinois
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Boone County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.6 — 2240th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Illinois, it ranks 64th of 102 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Boone County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 73.6 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 73.6
Unemployment Rate 96
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 71
Debt & Delinquency 48.1
Debt in Collections 36
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Housing Cost Burden 37.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 44
Homeownership Rate 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Income & Poverty 26.5
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 39
Community Vulnerability 22.7
Uninsured Rate 15
Disability Rate 30

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Boone County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Boone County
Boone County, IL 41.6 Normal —
Winnebago County, IL 56.7 Elevated +15.1
DeKalb County, IL 51.7 Elevated +10.1
Rock County, WI 43.7 Normal +2.1
Ogle County, IL 37.6 Normal -4.0
Walworth County, WI 35.1 Normal -6.5
McHenry County, IL 33.7 Healthy -7.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Boone County
Clay County, MN 41.5 Normal -0.1
Guadalupe County, TX 41.7 Normal +0.1
Burnet County, TX 41.5 Normal -0.1
Iron County, UT 41.5 Normal -0.1
Madison County, NY 41.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Boone 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 Boone 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 Boone County, Illinois?

    Boone County has a County Distress Index score of 41.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,240th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Boone County?

    The primary driver of distress in Boone County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 73.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Boone County compare to neighboring counties?

    Boone County (41.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Winnebago County, IL (56.7); DeKalb County, IL (51.7); Rock County, WI (43.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Boone County?

    Boone County, Illinois has a population of approximately 53,202 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.