St. Clair County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.6 | 251,018 people · 17th most distressed in Illinois
American Default Research

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St. Clair County, IL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.6 — 1237th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Illinois, it ranks 17th 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. St. Clair County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 72.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 72.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Debt & Delinquency 62.5
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Employment & Wages 57.3
Unemployment Rate 82
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 34
Income & Poverty 48.2
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 49
Child Poverty Rate 47
Community Vulnerability 32.7
Uninsured Rate 22
Disability Rate 43

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. St. Clair County
St. Clair County, IL 54.6 Elevated —
St. Louis city, MO 61.2 Elevated +6.6
Madison County, IL 44.2 Normal -10.5
Randolph County, IL 44.1 Normal -10.5
St. Louis County, MO 33.0 Healthy -21.7
Clinton County, IL 30.9 Healthy -23.8
Washington County, IL 23.9 Healthy -30.7
Monroe County, IL 22.2 Healthy -32.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. St. Clair County
Jefferson County, AL 54.5 Elevated -0.1
Brevard County, FL 54.8 Elevated +0.2
Lake County, IN 54.4 Elevated -0.2
Tulsa County, OK 54.9 Elevated +0.3
Guilford County, NC 54.2 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Clair County as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Clair County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near St. Clair County.

URBAN LEAGUE OF METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS - ST. CLAIR COUNTY OPERATIONS
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS
618-274-1150-126 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFair HousingHomeless/Displacement

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 St. Clair 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 St. Clair County, Illinois?

    St. Clair County has a County Distress Index score of 54.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,237th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Clair County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Clair County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 72.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does St. Clair County compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Clair County (54.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: St. Louis city, MO (61.2); Madison County, IL (44.2); Randolph County, IL (44.1).

  • 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 St. Clair County?

    St. Clair County, Illinois has a population of approximately 251,018 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.