In Clay County, Illinois, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in six dollars of the typical household's income
In Clay County, 18.0% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 78% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 66% of U.S. counties.
What drives Clay County's score
In Clay County, jobs are the highest-scoring part, at 74.0. Housing costs are the lowest part, at 17.0. About one in 10 renters (10.3%, 2020 to 2024) pays half their income or more in rent, a lower share than in 87% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Clay County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Even so, Clay County is worse off than most counties on unemployment rate, average over the latest year (4.8%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 74.0 of 100
Jobs
Biggest factorUnemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year4.8% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202677th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working24.4% · 2020 to 202470th percentile
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- 50.2 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line14.0% · 202456th percentile
- Children below the poverty line15.6% · 202442nd percentile
- People with a disability18.0% · 2020 to 202467th percentile
- People without health insurance5.1% · 2020 to 202420th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$62,117 · 202463rd percentile
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- 32.0 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind4.0% · August 202525th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind3.2% · August 202518th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score40.7% · second quarter of 202651st percentile
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- 30.0 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector17.3% · August 202527th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people92.3 · 202532nd percentile
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- 17.0 of 100
Housing costs
Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent10.3% · 2020 to 202412th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income18.0% · fiscal year 202721st percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Clay County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Clay County, 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Clay County
Illinois
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Clay County, benefit checks' share of income has tripled since 1969, reaching 33.9% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in about one and a half times as much as benefit checks
In Clay County, Illinois, benefit checks' share of income tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 33.9%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
SNAP food aid is one of the benefit checks counted in the income totals above.
The share of households in Clay County getting SNAP food aid doubled to 18.5%, the highest on the chart, with most of the change between 2022 and 2023
Biggest rise: 2022 to 2023, reaching 17.1%. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Clay County, Illinois.
How Clay County has changed
Clay County's population had its largest drop, from 15,487 in 1984 to 14,542 in 1989.
Clay County's population fell 14% from 1969 to 2024, reaching its lowest on the chart
High on the chart: 15,503 in 1979. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Clay County, Illinois.
The number of jobs located in Clay County rose most sharply from its first year (4,676 in 1990) to 5,376 in 1995.
The number of jobs located in Clay County was at its highest on the chart in 2000 and has since fallen by about a fifth
High on the chart: 5,763 in 2000. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Clay County, Illinois.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 9.6% | 2025 5.0% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 13.1% | 2024 14.0% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $21,061 | 2024 $62,117 |
The table uses 5.0% for 2025; the score uses 4.8% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Clay County's history
1824
December 23, 1824 (created) March 8, 1825 (organized). Wikipedia
1828
Forced removal of Indians. Wikipedia
1900
The county's largest recorded population was the 1900 Census count of 19,553. The 2020 Census counted 13,288, 68% of the peak. Census Bureau
1998
A tornado in April 1998 did $2.1 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2013
A flash flood in June 2013 did $9 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2024
A tornado in May 2024 did $10 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 2002
5 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Clay County, 1 of them for flooding. FEMA
Clay County beside its neighbors
Of the six counties that border Clay County, three score higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Clay County ranks 2nd of the seven; Marion County is highest, at 36.0%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, IL | 63 | 14.4% | 36.0% |
| Wayne County, IL | 41 | 14.3% | 28.8% |
| Fayette County, IL | 34 | 15.3% | 29.4% |
| Clay County, IL | 33 | 14.0% | 33.9% |
| Richland County, IL | 28 | 13.0% | 28.9% |
| Jasper County, IL | 6 | 11.3% | 26.0% |
| Effingham County, IL | 5 | 8.1% | 19.0% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Clay County the poorest county in Illinois?
No, Clay County's poverty rate was 14.0% in 2024, 33rd highest of 102 in Illinois (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Alexander County, at 24.8%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Clay County ranks 55th of 102 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Clay County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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C.e.f.s. Clay County Outreach Office
HUD-approved housing counselor
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Land of Lincoln Legal Aid
Legal aid
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Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO)
Legal help website
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Clay County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.