Monroe County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Healthy · 22.2 | 34,957 people · 102nd most distressed in Illinois
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Monroe County, IL ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 22.2 — 3086th 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 102nd of 102 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Monroe County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 65.9 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 65.9
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 87
Housing Cost Burden 32.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 33
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 1
Debt & Delinquency 7.9
Debt in Collections 2
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 2
Auto Loan Delinquency 4
Credit Card Delinquency 10
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22
Community Vulnerability 4.1
Uninsured Rate 0
Disability Rate 8
Income & Poverty 1.3
Poverty Rate 0
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 0

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Monroe County
Monroe County, IL 22.2 Healthy —
St. Clair County, IL 54.6 Elevated +32.4
Randolph County, IL 44.1 Normal +21.9
Jefferson County, MO 35.7 Normal +13.5
St. Louis County, MO 33.0 Healthy +10.7
Ste. Genevieve County, MO 30.1 Healthy +7.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Monroe County
Butler County, IA 22.1 Healthy -0.2
Saunders County, NE 22.5 Healthy +0.3
Putnam County, OH 22.5 Healthy +0.3
Benton County, IA 21.9 Healthy -0.3
Mercer County, OH 21.8 Healthy -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County, Illinois?

    Monroe County has a County Distress Index score of 22.2 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,086th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 102nd in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Monroe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Monroe County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 65.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Monroe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Monroe County (22.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: St. Clair County, IL (54.6); Randolph County, IL (44.1); Jefferson County, MO (35.7).

  • 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 Monroe County?

    Monroe County, Illinois has a population of approximately 34,957 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.