Hamilton County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.1 | 7,911 people · 43rd most distressed in Illinois
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Hamilton County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.1 — 1890th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Illinois, it ranks 43rd of 102 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hamilton County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 70.7 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 70.7
Uninsured Rate 59
Disability Rate 82
Employment & Wages 57.7
Unemployment Rate 86
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Business Formation Rate 78
Debt & Delinquency 43.8
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37
Income & Poverty 43.0
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 45
Housing Cost Burden 15.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Hamilton County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hamilton County
Hamilton County, IL 46.1 Normal —
Franklin County, IL 65.6 Serious +19.5
Saline County, IL 62.7 Elevated +16.6
Jefferson County, IL 58.7 Elevated +12.6
Wayne County, IL 53.4 Elevated +7.3
White County, IL 51.3 Elevated +5.1
Gallatin County, IL 47.4 Normal +1.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hamilton County
Hooker County, NE 46.1 Normal 0.0
Harper County, KS 46.1 Normal +0.0
Loup County, NE 46.1 Normal -0.0
Clearwater County, MN 46.0 Normal -0.1
Upton County, TX 46.2 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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 Hamilton County, Illinois?

    Hamilton County has a County Distress Index score of 46.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,890th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hamilton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hamilton County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 70.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Hamilton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hamilton County (46.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Franklin County, IL (65.6); Saline County, IL (62.7); Jefferson County, IL (58.7).

  • 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 Hamilton County?

    Hamilton County, Illinois has a population of approximately 7,911 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.