Stephenson County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.3 | 43,105 people · 42nd most distressed in Illinois
American Default Research

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Stephenson County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.3 — 1874th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Illinois, it ranks 42nd of 102 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Stephenson County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 54.7 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 54.7
Unemployment Rate 85
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 7
Business Formation Rate 73
Income & Poverty 48.4
Poverty Rate 43
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 48
Debt & Delinquency 48.0
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51
Housing Cost Burden 46.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Community Vulnerability 33.6
Uninsured Rate 20
Disability Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Stephenson County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Stephenson County
Stephenson County, IL 46.3 Normal —
Winnebago County, IL 56.7 Elevated +10.4
Carroll County, IL 44.3 Normal -2.0
Ogle County, IL 37.6 Normal -8.7
Jo Daviess County, IL 32.8 Healthy -13.6
Lafayette County, WI 31.9 Healthy -14.5
Green County, WI 26.2 Healthy -20.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Stephenson County
Owen County, IN 46.3 Normal -0.0
Potter County, PA 46.3 Normal +0.0
Burleson County, TX 46.4 Normal +0.1
Finney County, KS 46.2 Normal -0.1
Klickitat County, WA 46.5 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stephenson 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 Stephenson 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 Stephenson County, Illinois?

    Stephenson County has a County Distress Index score of 46.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,874th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stephenson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stephenson County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 54.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Stephenson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stephenson County (46.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Winnebago County, IL (56.7); Carroll County, IL (44.3); Ogle County, IL (37.6).

  • 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 Stephenson County?

    Stephenson County, Illinois has a population of approximately 43,105 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.