In Fulton County, Illinois, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in six dollars of the typical household's income
In Fulton County, 17.5% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 82% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 58% of U.S. counties.
What drives Fulton County's score
In Fulton County, jobs are the highest-scoring part, at 67.8. Housing costs are the lowest part, at 17.4. About one in nine renters (11.5%, 2020 to 2024) pays half their income or more in rent, a lower share than in 83% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Fulton 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, Fulton County is worse off than most counties on unemployment rate, average over the latest year (5.0%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 67.8 of 100
Jobs
Biggest factorUnemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year5.0% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202680th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working21.5% · 2020 to 202454th percentile
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- 56.3 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind7.1% · August 202574th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind4.3% · August 202536th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score42.5% · second quarter of 202658th percentile
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- 44.1 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 line16.9% · 202448th percentile
- People with a disability15.9% · 2020 to 202449th percentile
- People without health insurance3.7% · 2020 to 20246th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$63,587 · 202459th percentile
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- 39.5 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector22.3% · August 202546th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people92.2 · 202532nd percentile
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- 17.4 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 rent11.5% · 2020 to 202416th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income17.5% · fiscal year 202717th 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 Fulton 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 Fulton County, 21.5% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Fulton County
Illinois
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Fulton County, benefit checks' share of income has tripled since 1969, reaching 30.7% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in nearly twice as much as benefit checks
In Fulton County, Illinois, benefit checks' share of income tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 30.7%; 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 Fulton County getting SNAP food aid doubled to 17.3%, the highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 2011 to 2012, reaching 12.3%. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Fulton County, Illinois.
How Fulton County has changed
Fulton County's population had its largest drop, from 41,281 in 1984 to 38,070 in 1989.
Fulton County's population fell by about a quarter to 32,510, the lowest on the chart
High on the chart: 43,584 in 1979. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Fulton County, Illinois.
The number of jobs located in Fulton County had its largest rise in the last span, from 7,837 in 2020 to 8,639 in 2025.
The number of jobs located in Fulton County fell 11% from 1990 to 2025, with its low point on the chart in 2020
Low on the chart: 7,837 in 2020. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Fulton County, Illinois.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 8.1% | 2025 4.8% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 13.4% | 2024 14.0% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $21,906 | 2024 $63,587 |
The table uses 4.8% for 2025; the score uses 5.0% 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 Fulton County's history
1823
Organized in 1823 from Pike County. Wikipedia
1910
The county's largest recorded population was the 1910 Census count of 49,549. The 2020 Census counted 33,609, 68% of the peak. Census Bureau
1942
Camp Ellis during World War II. Wikipedia
1975
A tornado in July 1975 did $25 million in property damage and killed two people. NOAA Storm Events Database
2009
A flood in May 2009 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2009
A flood in May 2009 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2013
A flash flood in April 2013 did $12.2 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1973
20 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Fulton County, 12 of them for flooding. FEMA
Fulton County beside its neighbors
Of the seven counties that border Fulton County, four score higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Fulton County ranks 2nd of the eight; Knox County is highest, at 33.9%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria County, IL | 69 | 15.3% | 21.0% |
| Knox County, IL | 62 | 15.7% | 33.9% |
| McDonough County, IL | 60 | 18.6% | 26.1% |
| Mason County, IL | 56 | 13.5% | 30.5% |
| Fulton County, IL | 41 | 14.0% | 30.7% |
| Schuyler County, IL | 37 | 13.1% | 25.7% |
| Warren County, IL | 30 | 14.0% | 24.4% |
| Tazewell County, IL | 25 | 8.3% | 21.4% |
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 Fulton County the poorest county in Illinois?
No, Fulton 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, Fulton County ranks 38th of 102 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Fulton 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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Prairie State Legal Services
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 Fulton 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 Fulton County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.