Jo Daviess County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.8 | 21,756 people · 92nd most distressed in Illinois
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Jo Daviess County, IL ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.8 — 2768th 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 92nd of 102 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Jo Daviess County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 67.1 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 67.1
Unemployment Rate 76
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 79
Housing Cost Burden 45.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 4
Community Vulnerability 25.1
Uninsured Rate 20
Disability Rate 30
Income & Poverty 16.6
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 15
Debt & Delinquency 9.5
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 4
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Jo Daviess County
Jo Daviess County, IL 32.8 Healthy —
Stephenson County, IL 46.3 Normal +13.6
Carroll County, IL 44.3 Normal +11.6
Grant County, WI 39.2 Normal +6.5
Jackson County, IA 32.7 Healthy -0.0
Lafayette County, WI 31.9 Healthy -0.9
Dubuque County, IA 31.5 Healthy -1.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Jo Daviess County
Jackson County, IA 32.7 Healthy -0.0
Andrew County, MO 32.8 Healthy +0.0
Charlevoix County, MI 32.7 Healthy -0.1
Fairfax city, VA 32.7 Healthy -0.1
Ralls County, MO 32.9 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Jo Daviess County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Jo Daviess 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 Jo Daviess 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Jo Daviess County, Illinois?

    Jo Daviess County has a County Distress Index score of 32.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,768th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 92nd in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jo Daviess County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jo Daviess County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 67.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Jo Daviess County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jo Daviess County (32.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Stephenson County, IL (46.3); Carroll County, IL (44.3); Grant County, WI (39.2).

  • 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 Jo Daviess County?

    Jo Daviess County, Illinois has a population of approximately 21,756 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.