Union County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.2 | 16,667 people · 24th most distressed in Illinois
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Union County, IL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.2 — 1441st 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 24th 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. Union County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 68.0 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 68.0
Unemployment Rate 85
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 44
Business Formation Rate 75
Income & Poverty 60.6
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 56
Child Poverty Rate 59
Community Vulnerability 56.5
Uninsured Rate 36
Disability Rate 77
Housing Cost Burden 39.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 12
Debt & Delinquency 36.4
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Union County, IL 52.2 Elevated —
Alexander County, IL 65.3 Serious +13.1
Jackson County, IL 63.9 Elevated +11.8
Pulaski County, IL 61.7 Elevated +9.5
Williamson County, IL 56.5 Elevated +4.3
Johnson County, IL 49.7 Normal -2.5
Cape Girardeau County, MO 41.0 Normal -11.2
Perry County, MO 37.8 Normal -14.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Union County
Randolph County, IN 52.2 Elevated +0.0
Boone County, AR 52.2 Elevated +0.0
Parke County, IN 52.2 Elevated +0.0
Franklin County, KS 52.2 Elevated +0.0
Overton County, TN 52.1 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Union 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 Union 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 Union County, Illinois?

    Union County has a County Distress Index score of 52.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,441st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Union County?

    The primary driver of distress in Union County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 68.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Union County compare to neighboring counties?

    Union County (52.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Alexander County, IL (65.3); Jackson County, IL (63.9); Pulaski County, IL (61.7).

  • 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 Union County?

    Union County, Illinois has a population of approximately 16,667 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.