Montgomery County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.4 | 27,663 people · 37th most distressed in Illinois
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Montgomery County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.4 — 1801st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Illinois, it ranks 37th of 102 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Montgomery County's primary driver is Income & Poverty at 60.3 — above the national median.

Income & Poverty Primary driver 60.3
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 52
Employment & Wages 60.3
Unemployment Rate 87
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 0
Business Formation Rate 93
Community Vulnerability 40.0
Uninsured Rate 12
Disability Rate 68
Debt & Delinquency 38.8
Debt in Collections 40
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 24
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21
Housing Cost Burden 37.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Montgomery County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, IL 47.4 Normal —
Fayette County, IL 52.7 Elevated +5.3
Christian County, IL 45.4 Normal -2.0
Macoupin County, IL 44.7 Normal -2.7
Madison County, IL 44.2 Normal -3.2
Bond County, IL 42.3 Normal -5.0
Sangamon County, IL 37.4 Normal -9.9
Shelby County, IL 35.7 Normal -11.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Montgomery County
Red Willow County, NE 47.3 Normal -0.1
Clay County, IL 47.3 Normal -0.1
Dinwiddie County, VA 47.3 Normal -0.1
Ohio County, WV 47.5 Normal +0.1
Tallapoosa County, AL 47.5 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, Illinois?

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 47.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,801st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 60.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (47.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Fayette County, IL (52.7); Christian County, IL (45.4); Macoupin County, IL (44.7).

  • 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Illinois has a population of approximately 27,663 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.