Wabash County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.0 | 10,942 people · 33rd most distressed in Illinois
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Wabash County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.0 — 1675th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Illinois, it ranks 33rd of 102 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Wabash County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 61.2 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 61.2
Unemployment Rate 72
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 18
Business Formation Rate 94
Income & Poverty 54.2
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 56
Child Poverty Rate 49
Community Vulnerability 52.6
Uninsured Rate 18
Disability Rate 88
Debt & Delinquency 39.3
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 42
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27
Housing Cost Burden 37.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Wabash County
Wabash County, IL 49.0 Normal —
Lawrence County, IL 55.1 Elevated +6.2
Knox County, IN 53.3 Elevated +4.3
White County, IL 51.3 Elevated +2.3
Richland County, IL 47.1 Normal -1.9
Edwards County, IL 46.0 Normal -3.0
Gibson County, IN 31.2 Healthy -17.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Wabash County
White County, GA 49.0 Normal 0.0
Clarion County, PA 49.0 Normal -0.0
Franklin County, NY 49.0 Normal -0.0
Big Horn County, WY 49.0 Normal +0.0
Owen County, KY 49.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wabash 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 Wabash 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 Wabash County, Illinois?

    Wabash County has a County Distress Index score of 49.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,675th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wabash County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wabash County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 61.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Wabash County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wabash County (49.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lawrence County, IL (55.1); Knox County, IN (53.3); White County, IL (51.3).

  • 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 Wabash County?

    Wabash County, Illinois has a population of approximately 10,942 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.