Top 5 Illinois Counties With The Highest Foreclosures
ATTOM has a ton of granular data and cross-referencing data that allows for metro-level insights. Below are the top counties based on foreclosure filings and rates (per housing unit) from late 2024 reports.
These focus on areas around Chicago. This is because that is where most activity is due to population density and economic shifts. Foreclosure Defense Network ranked them by highest rates or total filings where specified. Naturally, Chicago’s metro area dominates. However, we have broken it down to counties like Cook and Lake.
1. Cook County (Including Chicago Metro)
Cook County tops the list with the highest volume just due to it’s massive size. In Q1 alone, the Chicago area (largely Cook) had 2,867 foreclosure starts. This makes it one of the nation’s hotspots according to REI-INK. The rate? This is about one in every 775 housing units in Q3 2024 according to Resimpli. Why so high? Urban density, job market fluctuations, and high living costs. Chicago led metros with REOs (bank repossessions) in 2024. Cook saw a big chunk of Illinois’ 1,221 starts in July according to Safeguard. If you’re in this area, equity is still strong (U.S. total over $35 trillion), so options like refinancing might help.
2. Lake County
Right next to Cook, Lake County is seeing filing rates climb. This is contributing to Illinois’ overall spike. In July 2024, it was noted in national top lists indirectly through metro data. However, state breakdowns show it with one of the higher per-unit rates. Lake County had 1,500-2,000 units in foreclosure based on Q3 trends according to SoFi. This county’s proximity to Chicago means similar pressures: rising taxes and insurance. ATTOM data ties it to the broader Illinois increase of 26% in starts from Q4 2023 to Q1 2024. Fun fact: Lake’s average foreclosure time is lengthy, giving folks breathing room for defenses.
3. Will County
Will County ranks high with steady filings month over month. The county is part of the Chicago metro’s 11,508 starts in 2024 according to PR Newswire. Rates here hover at one in about 1,000-1,200 units. This is driven by suburban expansion and economic ripple effects from the city. In Q3 2024, it was among areas with rising REOs, up 7% quarterly according to REI-INK. Investors eye Will County for opportunities and for fix-and-flip deals. Investors average $40,000 profit per property per Resimpli’s investor survey.
4. DuPage County
DuPage is another suburban powerhouse with high activity. Foreclosure filings here also contribute to Illinois’ top-5 national ranking for foreclosure starts according to Safeguard. The rate? Roughly one in 1,200-1,500 units in late 2024 were already on track to be repossessed. It’s tied to the state’s overall decline in total activity (down 10% yearly). However, it still sees quarterly upticks. High household debt (U.S. record $16.9 trillion in 2022, 71% mortgages) plays a role here Resimpli.
5. Kane County
Kane County rounds out the top 5 Illinois counties with the highest number of foreclosures. The county has been climbing with rates around one in 1,500 units in Q3 2024 data from Newland Attorneys. It’s part of the extended Chicago area, where foreclosure timelines average 815 days. This is up 6% from 2023. This gives time for mitigation, but economic factors like inflation keep pushing numbers up. Compared to national declines (19% drop in September 2024 filings), Kane’s holding steady with suburban appeal for buyers post-foreclosure.
