In Edwards County, Illinois, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in six dollars of the typical household's income
In Edwards County, 16.8% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 88% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 76% of U.S. counties.
What drives Edwards County's score
In Edwards County, jobs are the highest-scoring part, at 67.5. Housing costs are the lowest part, at 10.8. About one in 12 renters (8.7%, 2020 to 2024) pays half their income or more in rent, a lower share than in 90% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Edwards 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, Edwards County is worse off than most counties on unemployment rate, average over the latest year (8.4%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026) and people with a disability (20.2%, 2020 to 2024).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 67.5 of 100
Jobs
Biggest factorUnemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year8.4% · Oct 2025 to Sep 2026top 5%
- Adults 25 to 54 not working19.1% · 2020 to 202440th percentile
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- 44.8 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line11.1% · 202431st percentile
- Children below the poverty line13.2% · 202428th percentile
- People with a disability20.2% · 2020 to 202481st percentile
- People without health insurance6.0% · 2020 to 202431st percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$66,465 · 202450th percentile
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- 31.1 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind3.0% · August 202510th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind5.8% · August 202558th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score33.6% · second quarter of 202624th percentile
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- 18.7 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector15.1% · August 202519th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people67 · 202518th percentile
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- 10.8 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 rent8.7% · 2020 to 20249th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income16.8% · fiscal year 202711th 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 Edwards 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 Edwards County, 22.6% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Edwards County
Illinois
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Edwards County, benefit checks' share of income has more than doubled since 1969, reaching 26.7% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in twice as much as benefit checks
In Edwards County, Illinois, benefit checks' share of income more than doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 26.7%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Edwards County getting SNAP food aid rose most from 13.3% in 2020 to 17.5% in 2022, 2.1 points each year.
The share of households in Edwards County getting SNAP food aid doubled from 2009 to 2023, reaching 18.2%, then turned down in 2024
High on the chart: 18.2% in 2023. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Edwards County, Illinois.
How Edwards County has changed
Edwards County's population had its largest drop, from 8,220 in 1984 to 7,578 in 1989.
Edwards County's population was at its highest on the chart in 1984 and has since fallen by about a quarter
High on the chart: 8,220 in 1984. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Edwards County, Illinois.
The number of jobs located in Edwards County had its largest drop, from 2,872 in 2005 to 2,438 in 2010.
The number of jobs located in Edwards County was at its highest on the chart in 2000 and has since fallen by about half
High on the chart: 3,276 in 2000. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Edwards County, Illinois.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 6.4% | 2025 4.3% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 10.0% | 2024 11.1% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $23,473 | 2024 $66,465 |
The table uses 4.3% for 2025; the score uses 8.4% 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 Edwards County's history
1815
Created in 1815 from Gallatin and Madison counties. Wikipedia
1900
The county's largest recorded population was the 1900 Census count of 10,345. The 2020 Census counted 6,245, 60% of the peak. Census Bureau
1989
A tornado in January 1989 did $2.5 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
1990
A tornado in June 1990 did $2.5 million in property damage and killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
1995
A thunderstorm in May 1995 killed two people. NOAA Storm Events Database
2011
A thunderstorm in April 2011 did $1 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1989
7 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Edwards County, 2 of them for flooding. FEMA
Edwards County beside its neighbors
All four counties that border Edwards County score higher than it does. Of the group, Edwards County gets the smallest share of its income from benefit checks; Richland County gets the largest, at 28.9%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabash County, IL | 49 | 14.1% | 28.0% |
| White County, IL | 46 | 14.2% | 28.5% |
| Wayne County, IL | 41 | 14.3% | 28.8% |
| Richland County, IL | 28 | 13.0% | 28.9% |
| Edwards County, IL | 23 | 11.1% | 26.7% |
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 Edwards County the poorest county in Illinois?
No, Edwards County's poverty rate was 11.1% in 2024, 62nd 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, Edwards County ranks 79th of 102 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Edwards 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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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.
Download the CSV for Edwards County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
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 Edwards County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.