Cass County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.3 | 12,596 people · 53rd most distressed in Illinois
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Cass County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.3 — 2044th 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 53rd 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. Cass County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 65.4 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 65.4
Unemployment Rate 85
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Business Formation Rate 95
Community Vulnerability 47.6
Uninsured Rate 43
Disability Rate 52
Income & Poverty 44.9
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 44
Debt & Delinquency 38.4
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Housing Cost Burden 25.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 9
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cass County
Cass County, IL 44.3 Normal —
Mason County, IL 50.7 Elevated +6.4
Schuyler County, IL 45.6 Normal +1.3
Morgan County, IL 45.5 Normal +1.1
Menard County, IL 39.3 Normal -5.1
Sangamon County, IL 37.4 Normal -6.9
Brown County, IL 37.1 Normal -7.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cass County
Carroll County, IL 44.3 Normal -0.0
Greene County, NY 44.4 Normal +0.0
McClain County, OK 44.4 Normal +0.0
Texas County, OK 44.3 Normal -0.1
Charlottesville city, VA 44.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cass 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 Cass 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 Cass County, Illinois?

    Cass County has a County Distress Index score of 44.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,044th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cass County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cass County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 65.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Cass County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cass County (44.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mason County, IL (50.7); Schuyler County, IL (45.6); Morgan County, IL (45.5).

  • 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 Cass County?

    Cass County, Illinois has a population of approximately 12,596 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.