DeKalb County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.7 | 100,288 people · 25th most distressed in Illinois
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DeKalb County, IL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.7 — 1466th 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 25th of 102 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. DeKalb County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.1 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 97
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 97
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 98
Homeownership Rate 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Employment & Wages 77.0
Unemployment Rate 86
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 70
Debt & Delinquency 43.7
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 59
Income & Poverty 34.4
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 25
Community Vulnerability 12.4
Uninsured Rate 15
Disability Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

How DeKalb County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. DeKalb County
DeKalb County, IL 51.7 Elevated —
Winnebago County, IL 56.7 Elevated +4.9
Kane County, IL 42.3 Normal -9.4
Boone County, IL 41.6 Normal -10.1
LaSalle County, IL 41.0 Normal -10.7
Lee County, IL 38.8 Normal -12.9
Ogle County, IL 37.6 Normal -14.1
Kendall County, IL 34.8 Healthy -17.0
McHenry County, IL 33.7 Healthy -18.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. DeKalb County
Wood County, WV 51.8 Elevated +0.0
Surry County, NC 51.7 Elevated -0.1
Oneida County, NY 51.8 Elevated +0.1
Crawford County, PA 51.8 Elevated +0.1
St. Clair County, MI 51.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in DeKalb 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 DeKalb 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 DeKalb County, Illinois?

    DeKalb County has a County Distress Index score of 51.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,466th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in DeKalb County?

    The primary driver of distress in DeKalb County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does DeKalb County compare to neighboring counties?

    DeKalb County (51.7) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Winnebago County, IL (56.7); Kane County, IL (42.3); Boone County, IL (41.6).

  • 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 DeKalb County?

    DeKalb County, Illinois has a population of approximately 100,288 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.