Shelby County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.7 | 20,568 people · 83rd most distressed in Illinois

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Shelby County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.7 — 2616th 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 83rd of 102 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Shelby County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 67.2 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 67.2
Unemployment Rate 83
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 81
Debt & Delinquency 31.3
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21
Income & Poverty 30.3
Poverty Rate 25
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 25
Community Vulnerability 28.7
Uninsured Rate 18
Disability Rate 40
Housing Cost Burden 20.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 15
Homeownership Rate 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Shelby County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Shelby County
Shelby County, IL 35.7 Normal
Coles County, IL 55.1 Elevated +19.5
Fayette County, IL 52.7 Elevated +17.0
Macon County, IL 49.5 Normal +13.9
Montgomery County, IL 47.4 Normal +11.7
Christian County, IL 45.4 Normal +9.7
Moultrie County, IL 35.6 Normal -0.0
Cumberland County, IL 32.0 Healthy -3.7
Effingham County, IL 31.6 Healthy -4.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Shelby County
Stutsman County, ND 35.7 Normal +0.0
Douglas County, IL 35.7 Normal +0.0
Fillmore County, MN 35.7 Normal +0.0
Moultrie County, IL 35.6 Normal -0.0
Madison County, NE 35.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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Find Help in Shelby County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Shelby County.

C.E.F.S. SHELBY COUNTY OUTREACH OFFICE
SHELBYVILLE
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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.

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Shelby County residents at no cost.

Self-Help Resources

Illinois Legal Aid Online — Foreclosure Comprehensive self-help guides for Illinois foreclosure
IHDA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs and housing counselor referrals

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