Grundy County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.8 | 53,578 people · 80th most distressed in Illinois
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Grundy County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.8 — 2598th 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 80th of 102 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Grundy County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 65.0 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 65.0
Unemployment Rate 69
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 75
Housing Cost Burden 64.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Debt & Delinquency 38.7
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 20
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Income & Poverty 5.7
Poverty Rate 3
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 6
Community Vulnerability 4.9
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Grundy County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Grundy County
Grundy County, IL 35.8 Normal —
Kankakee County, IL 55.2 Elevated +19.5
LaSalle County, IL 41.0 Normal +5.2
Will County, IL 36.4 Normal +0.6
Livingston County, IL 35.7 Normal -0.0
Kendall County, IL 34.8 Healthy -1.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Grundy County
Ward County, ND 35.8 Normal -0.0
Iredell County, NC 35.8 Normal -0.0
York County, ME 35.7 Normal -0.0
Jefferson County, MO 35.7 Normal -0.1
Lewis and Clark County, MT 35.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Grundy 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 Grundy 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 Grundy County, Illinois?

    Grundy County has a County Distress Index score of 35.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,598th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 80th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grundy County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grundy County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 65.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Grundy County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grundy County (35.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Kankakee County, IL (55.2); LaSalle County, IL (41.0); Will County, IL (36.4).

  • 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 Grundy County?

    Grundy County, Illinois has a population of approximately 53,578 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.