Richland County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.1 | 15,488 people · 39th most distressed in Illinois
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Richland County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.1 — 1820th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Illinois, it ranks 39th of 102 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Richland County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 58.0 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 58.0
Unemployment Rate 64
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 21
Business Formation Rate 90
Income & Poverty 58.0
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 46
Community Vulnerability 48.8
Uninsured Rate 27
Disability Rate 71
Debt & Delinquency 41.0
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 41
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34
Housing Cost Burden 29.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 25
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 30
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 9
Homeownership Rate 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Richland County
Richland County, IL 47.1 Normal —
Lawrence County, IL 55.1 Elevated +8.1
Wayne County, IL 53.4 Elevated +6.3
Wabash County, IL 49.0 Normal +1.9
Clay County, IL 47.3 Normal +0.2
Edwards County, IL 46.0 Normal -1.1
Crawford County, IL 38.2 Normal -8.9
Jasper County, IL 31.2 Healthy -15.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Richland County
Shelby County, IN 47.1 Normal +0.0
Amelia County, VA 47.1 Normal +0.1
Grant County, WV 47.2 Normal +0.1
Logan County, IL 47.0 Normal -0.1
Osage County, KS 47.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Richland County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Richland County.

ERBA RICHLAND COUNTY OUTREACH OFFICE
OLNEY
217-331-7031-229 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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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 Richland 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 Richland County, Illinois?

    Richland County has a County Distress Index score of 47.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,820th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Richland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Richland County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 58.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Richland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Richland County (47.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Lawrence County, IL (55.1); Wayne County, IL (53.4); Wabash County, IL (49.0).

  • 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 Richland County?

    Richland County, Illinois has a population of approximately 15,488 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.