Student Loan Debt Is Surging: How Is It Affecting Local Families?

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — Federal student-loan defaults have surged as millions of borrowers have returned to repayment, and Patch wants to know how the issue is affecting people in McHenry County and the surrounding suburbs.

About 9 million federal student-loan borrowers were in default as of March 2026, according to the latest Federal Student Aid data. The number of borrowers in default increased by about 1.3 million in a single quarter, with borrowers in default collectively owing roughly $220 billion.

The national numbers raise questions about what is happening closer to home.

Are local borrowers struggling to make their payments? Have monthly payments become difficult to manage? Have student loans affected decisions about buying a home, starting a family, changing jobs or taking on other debt?

Patch is looking to hear from local residents who have experienced challenges with student loans.

We're particularly interested in hearing from people who:

• Are currently struggling to make their payments;
• Have fallen behind on payments;
• Have entered student-loan default;
• Recently got out of default;
• Are worried they may soon default;
• Have seen their payments increase or change;
• Took out Parent PLUS loans for a child's education; or
• Have managed to repay their loans and can share what helped them.

You don't have to be in default to participate. We're interested in hearing about the broader financial impact of student loans.

Share Your Experience

If you're willing to speak with a Patch reporter about your experience, please fill out the form below. Your responses will help us identify people to interview for an upcoming story.

The form asks about your general loan situation, how much you owe, how payments have affected your household and whether you'd be willing to speak with a reporter.

We will not publish your responses without contacting you first. If you're selected for an interview, we'll ask additional questions about your experience.

Are you a McHenry County-area student-loan borrower? We want to hear from you.