White County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.3 | 13,401 people · 26th most distressed in Illinois
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White County, IL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.3 — 1492nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where poverty rates are high and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Illinois, it ranks 26th 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. White County's primary driver is Income & Poverty at 67.2 — above the national median.

Income & Poverty Primary driver 67.2
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 58
Employment & Wages 62.5
Unemployment Rate 85
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 81
Community Vulnerability 51.6
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 87
Housing Cost Burden 39.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 25
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32
Debt & Delinquency 35.2
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. White County
White County, IL 51.3 Elevated —
Wayne County, IL 53.4 Elevated +2.2
Wabash County, IL 49.0 Normal -2.3
Gallatin County, IL 47.4 Normal -3.9
Hamilton County, IL 46.1 Normal -5.1
Edwards County, IL 46.0 Normal -5.3
Gibson County, IN 31.2 Healthy -20.0
Posey County, IN 26.7 Healthy -24.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. White County
Chippewa County, MI 51.3 Elevated +0.0
Calhoun County, TX 51.3 Elevated +0.1
Union County, MS 51.3 Elevated +0.1
Bosque County, TX 51.3 Elevated +0.1
McKean County, PA 51.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in White 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 White 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 White County, Illinois?

    White County has a County Distress Index score of 51.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,492nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in White County?

    The primary driver of distress in White County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 67.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.

  • How does White County compare to neighboring counties?

    White County (51.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Wayne County, IL (53.4); Wabash County, IL (49.0); Gallatin County, IL (47.4).

  • 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 White County?

    White County, Illinois has a population of approximately 13,401 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.