Jersey County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.9 | 21,091 people · 66th most distressed in Illinois
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Jersey County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.9 — 2300th 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 66th 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. Jersey County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 82.7 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 82.7
Unemployment Rate 67
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 95
Housing Cost Burden 33.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 37
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 30
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Debt & Delinquency 31.9
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48
Income & Poverty 31.1
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 31
Community Vulnerability 25.2
Uninsured Rate 21
Disability Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Jersey County
Jersey County, IL 40.9 Normal —
Greene County, IL 45.9 Normal +5.0
Macoupin County, IL 44.7 Normal +3.8
Madison County, IL 44.2 Normal +3.3
Calhoun County, IL 38.1 Normal -2.8
St. Charles County, MO 22.0 Healthy -18.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Jersey County
Grant County, AR 40.9 Normal +0.0
Harvey County, KS 40.8 Normal -0.0
Kandiyohi County, MN 40.8 Normal -0.0
Wyoming County, PA 40.8 Normal -0.0
Henry County, IA 40.9 Normal +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jersey 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 Jersey 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Illinois →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Jersey County, Illinois?

    Jersey County has a County Distress Index score of 40.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,300th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jersey County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jersey County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 82.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Jersey County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jersey County (40.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Greene County, IL (45.9); Macoupin County, IL (44.7); Madison County, IL (44.2).

  • 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 Jersey County?

    Jersey County, Illinois has a population of approximately 21,091 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.