In LaSalle County, Illinois, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in six dollars of the typical household's income
In LaSalle County, 17.3% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 84% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 58% of U.S. counties.
What drives LaSalle County's score
In LaSalle County, jobs are the highest-scoring part, at 60.8. Income and the safety net is the lowest part, at 33.5. About one in 25 people (4.0%, 2020 to 2024) has no health insurance, a lower share than in 91% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in LaSalle 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, LaSalle County is worse off than most counties on unemployment rate, average over the latest year (5.5%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 60.8 of 100
Jobs
Biggest factorUnemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year5.5% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202688th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working17.9% · 2020 to 202432nd percentile
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- 51.7 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector20.1% · August 202538th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people165.3 · 202564th percentile
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- 41.8 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 rent21.1% · 2020 to 202467th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income17.3% · fiscal year 202715th percentile
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- 37.0 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind4.7% · August 202536th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind4.1% · August 202534th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score37.6% · second quarter of 202639th percentile
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- 33.5 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line12.8% · 202446th percentile
- Children below the poverty line16.7% · 202447th percentile
- People with a disability13.9% · 2020 to 202430th percentile
- People without health insurance4.0% · 2020 to 20248th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$72,846 · 202433rd 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 LaSalle 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 LaSalle County, 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
LaSalle County
Illinois
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In LaSalle County, benefit checks' share of income has tripled since 1969, reaching 23.9% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in more than twice as much as benefit checks
In LaSalle County, Illinois, benefit checks' share of income tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 23.9%; 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 LaSalle County getting SNAP food aid doubled to 14.8%, the highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 2012 to 2013, reaching 11.1%. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, LaSalle County, Illinois.
How LaSalle County has changed
LaSalle County's population rose most sharply after its 1989 low, from 106,468 in 1989 to 109,459 in 1994.
LaSalle County's population was about the same in 2024 as in 1969
High on the chart: 113,999 in 2009. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, LaSalle County, Illinois.
The number of jobs located in LaSalle County rose most sharply from its first year (36,427 in 1990) to 41,594 in 1995.
The number of jobs located in LaSalle County was at its highest on the chart in 2000 and is down 13% since
High on the chart: 44,492 in 2000. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, LaSalle County, Illinois.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 8.1% | 2025 5.4% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 8.1% | 2024 12.8% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $26,787 | 2024 $72,846 |
The table uses 5.4% for 2025; the score uses 5.5% 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 LaSalle County's history
1831
LaSalle County was formed on January 15, 1831, out of Tazewell and Putnam Counties. Wikipedia
1986
EPA removed contaminated material from radium facility starting in 1986. Wikipedia
2004
F3 tornado killed nine people in 2004. Wikipedia
2004
A tornado in April 2004 killed eight people. NOAA Storm Events Database
2010
The county's largest recorded population was the 2010 Census count of 113,924. The 2020 Census counted 109,658, 96% of the peak. Census Bureau
2010
A tornado in June 2010 did $7 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2013
A flash flood in April 2013 did $75 million in property damage and killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2017
A tornado in February 2017 killed two people. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1967
20 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered LaSalle County, 9 of them for flooding. FEMA
LaSalle County beside its neighbors
Of the nine counties that border LaSalle County, one scores higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, LaSalle County ranks 4th of the 10; Marshall County is highest, at 26.4%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County, IL | 50 | 11.6% | 20.5% |
| LaSalle County, IL | 41 | 12.8% | 23.9% |
| Grundy County, IL | 34 | 5.8% | 16.3% |
| Lee County, IL | 28 | 11.5% | 26.2% |
| Marshall County, IL | 26 | 9.2% | 26.4% |
| Kendall County, IL | 25 | 4.2% | 11.4% |
| Putnam County, IL | 24 | 7.7% | 19.3% |
| Livingston County, IL | 20 | 12.2% | 22.4% |
| Bureau County, IL | 18 | 9.2% | 26.0% |
| Woodford County, IL | 5 | 5.5% | 16.9% |
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 LaSalle County the poorest county in Illinois?
No, LaSalle County's poverty rate was 12.8% in 2024, 48th 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, LaSalle County ranks 39th of 102 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in LaSalle 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 LaSalle 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 LaSalle County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.