Madison County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.2 | 262,752 people · 56th most distressed in Illinois
American Default Research

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Madison County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.2 — 2064th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Illinois, it ranks 56th of 102 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Madison County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 62.3 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 62.3
Unemployment Rate 72
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 60
Housing Cost Burden 59.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 70
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Debt & Delinquency 39.7
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Community Vulnerability 31.3
Uninsured Rate 15
Disability Rate 47
Income & Poverty 27.7
Poverty Rate 30
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Madison County compares to its 9 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Madison County
Madison County, IL 44.2 Normal —
St. Louis city, MO 61.2 Elevated +17.0
St. Clair County, IL 54.6 Elevated +10.5
Montgomery County, IL 47.4 Normal +3.2
Macoupin County, IL 44.7 Normal +0.5
Bond County, IL 42.3 Normal -1.8
Jersey County, IL 40.9 Normal -3.3
St. Louis County, MO 33.0 Healthy -11.2
Clinton County, IL 30.9 Healthy -13.3
St. Charles County, MO 22.0 Healthy -22.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Madison County
Macomb County, MI 43.9 Normal -0.2
Butler County, OH 43.9 Normal -0.3
Northampton County, PA 44.5 Normal +0.3
Kalamazoo County, MI 43.8 Normal -0.4
Allen County, IN 43.8 Normal -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Madison County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Madison County.

MADISON COUNTY URBAN LEAGUE
ALTON
618-463-1906-222 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFair HousingHomeless/DisplacementPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Illinois →

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 Madison 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 44.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,064th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 62.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (44.2) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: St. Louis city, MO (61.2); St. Clair County, IL (54.6); Montgomery County, IL (47.4).

  • 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 Madison County?

    Madison County, Illinois has a population of approximately 262,752 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.