Will County, Illinois

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.4 | 700,728 people · 78th most distressed in Illinois
American Default Research

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Will County, IL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.4 — 2568th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Illinois, it ranks 78th 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. Will County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 63.0 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 63.0
Unemployment Rate 72
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 25
Housing Cost Burden 62.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 97
Homeownership Rate 9
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Debt & Delinquency 38.6
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 40
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Community Vulnerability 12.8
Uninsured Rate 21
Disability Rate 4
Income & Poverty 5.2
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Will County
Will County, IL 36.4 Normal —
Kankakee County, IL 55.2 Elevated +18.9
Lake County, IN 54.4 Elevated +18.0
Cook County, IL 50.8 Elevated +14.4
Grundy County, IL 35.8 Normal -0.6
Kendall County, IL 34.8 Healthy -1.6
DuPage County, IL 28.5 Healthy -7.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Will County
Larimer County, CO 36.4 Normal -0.0
Madison County, AL 36.5 Normal +0.1
Washington County, OR 36.1 Normal -0.3
Monmouth County, NJ 35.9 Normal -0.5
Albany County, NY 36.9 Normal +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Will County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Will County.

WILL COUNTY CENTER FOR COMMUNITY CONCERNS
Joliet
815-722-0722 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase

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 Will 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 Will County, Illinois?

    Will County has a County Distress Index score of 36.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,568th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 78th in Illinois out of 102 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Will County?

    The primary driver of distress in Will County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 63.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Will County compare to neighboring counties?

    Will County (36.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Kankakee County, IL (55.2); Lake County, IN (54.4); Cook County, IL (50.8).

  • 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 Will County?

    Will County, Illinois has a population of approximately 700,728 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.