Illinois Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 102 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$837/mo
Average Home Value
$146,132
Average Owner Cost
$939/mo
County cost atlas
Illinois housing costs by county
Compare rent, entry-price context, owner costs, and cost score in one state view. Pin a county, switch layers, then open the full county profile when a place needs closer review.
Counties
102
Avg rent
$837/mo
Owner cost
$939/mo
Avg score
53.2
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. Rent, owner cost, and home value are county medians. Cost score rewards lower rent and lower owner costs, but affordability still depends on income, household size, commute, debt, and personal finances. Use this as decision context, not personalized financial advice.
State Cost Summary
Use these state averages as a starting point, then scan the atlas and rankings for the county-level spread behind them.
Housing Costs in Illinois: An Overview
The median rent in Illinois is $837 per month, which is 28% below the national median of $1,163. That is useful statewide context, but rent burden still depends on local income, household size, commute, and the county a household chooses.
Within Illinois, housing costs vary significantly by county. Kendall County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $1,763 per month and a median home value of $298,900. Hardin County has the lowest reported median rent at $342 per month and a median home value of $91,700.
The average home value across Illinois counties is $146,132, 48% lower than the national median of $281,900. Median household income is roughly $68,580, so home values should be read alongside local wages, financing costs, taxes, insurance, and supply.
Before comparing places in Illinois, start with the county-level pattern. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties. Use the atlas, rankings, and county links below to compare rent, home values, owner costs, and rent burden before opening a specific county profile.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in Illinois
How median rents are spread across 102 counties
Highest Median Rent Counties
Lowest Median Rent Counties
All Illinois Counties
Sorted by median rent, highest first. A higher cost score means lower rent and owner cost pressure within the national scoring model.
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Cost Score | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kendall County | Expensive$1,763/mo | $298,900 | $1,976/mo | 2.9 | 31.0% |
| DuPage County | Expensive$1,628/mo | $374,100 | $1,901/mo | 4.1 | 27.0% |
| Lake County | Moderate$1,434/mo | $326,600 | $1,891/mo | 5.8 | 28.0% |
| Will County | Moderate$1,413/mo | $298,000 | $1,789/mo | 6.3 | 29.0% |
| Kane County | Moderate$1,404/mo | $303,000 | $1,778/mo | 6.7 | 29.0% |
| Cook County | Moderate$1,381/mo | $305,200 | $1,686/mo | 7.3 | 29.0% |
| McHenry County | Moderate$1,358/mo | $286,900 | $1,724/mo | 7.5 | 30.0% |
| Grundy County | Moderate$1,137/mo | $259,200 | $1,573/mo | 13.0 | 26.0% |
| Kankakee County | Moderate$1,075/mo | $185,700 | $1,202/mo | 20.3 | 29.0% |
| DeKalb County | Moderate$1,041/mo | $231,900 | $1,500/mo | 16.9 | 33.0% |
| St. Clair County | Moderate$1,032/mo | $168,800 | $1,154/mo | 23.0 | 28.0% |
| Champaign County | Moderate$1,018/mo | $205,100 | $1,206/mo | 22.3 | 31.0% |
| Boone County | Moderate$1,011/mo | $198,600 | $1,310/mo | 20.5 | 28.0% |
| Monroe County | Affordable$996/mo | $265,600 | $1,383/mo | 20.3 | 26.0% |
| McLean County | Affordable$992/mo | $198,300 | $1,251/mo | 22.7 | 26.0% |
| Winnebago County | Affordable$986/mo | $155,100 | $1,034/mo | 29.3 | 29.0% |
| Madison County | Affordable$969/mo | $167,900 | $1,109/mo | 27.4 | 28.0% |
| Sangamon County | Affordable$954/mo | $170,300 | $1,082/mo | 29.6 | 27.0% |
| Piatt County | Affordable$950/mo | $173,200 | $1,098/mo | 29.2 | 24.0% |
| Peoria County | Affordable$946/mo | $152,600 | $1,057/mo | 30.9 | 29.0% |
| Clinton County | Affordable$934/mo | $180,500 | $1,042/mo | 32.1 | 26.0% |
| Woodford County | Affordable$907/mo | $193,800 | $1,154/mo | 30.6 | 26.0% |
| LaSalle County | Affordable$906/mo | $154,900 | $990/mo | 36.3 | 26.0% |
| Ogle County | Affordable$901/mo | $184,100 | $1,084/mo | 33.3 | 24.0% |
| Tazewell County | Affordable$898/mo | $164,500 | $1,070/mo | 34.1 | 26.0% |
| Williamson County | Affordable$897/mo | $145,600 | $910/mo | 40.9 | 28.0% |
| Rock Island County | Affordable$863/mo | $144,700 | $1,004/mo | 39.5 | 29.0% |
| Jefferson County | Affordable$862/mo | $118,400 | $834/mo | 49.4 | 24.0% |
| De Witt County | Affordable$857/mo | $124,200 | $854/mo | 48.3 | 22.0% |
| Livingston County | Affordable$855/mo | $131,500 | $950/mo | 42.9 | 23.0% |
| Lee County | Affordable$853/mo | $155,100 | $966/mo | 42.3 | 24.0% |
| Bureau County | Affordable$838/mo | $121,900 | $920/mo | 46.0 | 25.0% |
| Henry County | Affordable$837/mo | $145,300 | $923/mo | 46.1 | 25.0% |
| Ford County | Affordable$836/mo | $118,100 | $864/mo | 50.0 | 27.0% |
| Schuyler County | Affordable$836/mo | $106,200 | $775/mo | 56.1 | 23.0% |
| Henderson County | Affordable$834/mo | $101,600 | $648/mo | 66.0 | 22.0% |
| Clark County | Affordable$828/mo | $123,100 | $871/mo | 50.1 | 29.0% |
| Adams County | Affordable$826/mo | $155,900 | $891/mo | 49.0 | 26.0% |
| Douglas County | Affordable$818/mo | $142,600 | $927/mo | 48.0 | 24.0% |
| Lawrence County | Affordable$810/mo | $95,500 | $607/mo | 70.9 | 24.0% |
| Fulton County | Affordable$808/mo | $102,500 | $786/mo | 58.5 | 26.0% |
| Whiteside County | Affordable$808/mo | $125,800 | $853/mo | 53.8 | 29.0% |
| Logan County | Affordable$804/mo | $125,900 | $907/mo | 50.8 | 27.0% |
| Putnam County | Affordable$804/mo | $167,800 | $936/mo | 49.3 | 23.0% |
| Vermilion County | Affordable$802/mo | $92,900 | $663/mo | 68.7 | 27.0% |
| Greene County | Affordable$800/mo | $94,400 | $709/mo | 65.2 | 22.0% |
| Macon County | Affordable$797/mo | $121,800 | $865/mo | 54.5 | 25.0% |
| Jo Daviess County | Affordable$795/mo | $193,900 | $1,063/mo | 45.4 | 29.0% |
| Jersey County | Affordable$794/mo | $168,800 | $1,013/mo | 47.3 | 26.0% |
| Coles County | Affordable$793/mo | $121,900 | $830/mo | 57.8 | 26.0% |
| Iroquois County | Affordable$793/mo | $125,400 | $847/mo | 56.4 | 28.0% |
| Massac County | Affordable$793/mo | $118,000 | $786/mo | 60.6 | 31.0% |
| Macoupin County | Affordable$789/mo | $126,100 | $830/mo | 58.3 | 23.0% |
| Carroll County | Affordable$784/mo | $113,500 | $819/mo | 59.6 | 24.0% |
| Menard County | Affordable$780/mo | $179,300 | $1,053/mo | 47.6 | 30.0% |
| Washington County | Affordable$776/mo | $149,800 | $920/mo | 53.7 | 21.0% |
| Wabash County | Affordable$774/mo | $103,900 | $697/mo | 69.5 | 24.0% |
| Moultrie County | Affordable$773/mo | $121,500 | $853/mo | 58.5 | 22.0% |
| Franklin County | Affordable$771/mo | $87,700 | $652/mo | 73.6 | 29.0% |
| Marion County | Affordable$771/mo | $100,100 | $785/mo | 63.6 | 26.0% |
| Marshall County | Affordable$767/mo | $137,800 | $858/mo | 59.1 | 23.0% |
| Jasper County | Affordable$766/mo | $122,900 | $849/mo | 59.9 | 19.0% |
| Stark County | Affordable$765/mo | $103,500 | $801/mo | 63.5 | 27.0% |
| Stephenson County | Affordable$764/mo | $127,500 | $877/mo | 57.9 | 27.0% |
| Shelby County | Affordable$762/mo | $130,400 | $792/mo | 64.3 | 21.0% |
| Crawford County | Affordable$761/mo | $113,700 | $796/mo | 64.1 | 20.0% |
| Mason County | Affordable$760/mo | $106,100 | $755/mo | 67.0 | 26.0% |
| Randolph County | Affordable$760/mo | $134,100 | $743/mo | 68.1 | 24.0% |
| Edgar County | Affordable$757/mo | $95,700 | $715/mo | 70.3 | 21.0% |
| Mercer County | Affordable$757/mo | $139,300 | $947/mo | 55.0 | 25.0% |
| Cumberland County | Affordable$756/mo | $117,700 | $785/mo | 65.4 | 22.0% |
| Hancock County | Affordable$755/mo | $108,400 | $723/mo | 70.2 | 23.0% |
| Richland County | Affordable$754/mo | $106,600 | $698/mo | 71.8 | 23.0% |
| Edwards County | Affordable$746/mo | $97,500 | $670/mo | 75.1 | 24.0% |
| Jackson County | Affordable$746/mo | $125,000 | $840/mo | 62.6 | 30.0% |
| Fayette County | Affordable$740/mo | $114,700 | $667/mo | 76.1 | 25.0% |
| Bond County | Affordable$735/mo | $133,100 | $865/mo | 62.1 | 21.0% |
| Effingham County | Affordable$734/mo | $179,800 | $947/mo | 57.5 | 21.0% |
| McDonough County | Affordable$730/mo | $103,500 | $832/mo | 65.3 | 30.0% |
| Christian County | Affordable$729/mo | $112,100 | $836/mo | 65.0 | 26.0% |
| Knox County | Affordable$725/mo | $104,900 | $814/mo | 67.2 | 32.0% |
| Brown County | Affordable$724/mo | $142,200 | $834/mo | 65.8 | 24.0% |
| Cass County | Affordable$723/mo | $95,500 | $793/mo | 68.7 | 22.0% |
| Montgomery County | Affordable$715/mo | $102,200 | $780/mo | 70.3 | 28.0% |
| Perry County | Affordable$714/mo | $105,200 | $692/mo | 77.1 | 32.0% |
| Saline County | Affordable$711/mo | $92,900 | $678/mo | 78.8 | 27.0% |
| Morgan County | Affordable$710/mo | $128,700 | $897/mo | 62.9 | 23.0% |
| Clay County | Affordable$709/mo | $94,300 | $734/mo | 74.6 | 21.0% |
| White County | Affordable$706/mo | $100,100 | $674/mo | 79.3 | 27.0% |
| Warren County | Affordable$694/mo | $101,300 | $824/mo | 69.3 | 19.0% |
| Scott County | Affordable$669/mo | $101,700 | $708/mo | 79.0 | 17.0% |
| Pike County | Affordable$659/mo | $100,100 | $765/mo | 75.5 | 27.0% |
| Union County | Affordable$658/mo | $131,700 | $746/mo | 77.3 | 28.0% |
| Johnson County | Affordable$634/mo | $148,200 | $735/mo | 79.1 | 27.0% |
| Wayne County | Affordable$632/mo | $109,400 | $795/mo | 74.6 | 25.0% |
| Pulaski County | Affordable$625/mo | $81,000 | $494/mo | 94.8 | 24.0% |
| Hamilton County | Affordable$566/mo | $108,800 | $661/mo | 86.8 | 19.0% |
| Alexander County | Affordable$540/mo | $58,700 | $570/mo | 93.2 | 25.0% |
| Gallatin County | Affordable$500/mo | $84,700 | $572/mo | 93.3 | 19.0% |
| Calhoun County | Affordable$479/mo | $174,000 | $924/mo | 69.0 | 23.0% |
| Pope County | Affordable$438/mo | $165,300 | $675/mo | 86.8 | 17.0% |
| Hardin County | Affordable$342/mo | $91,700 | $568/mo | 94.1 | 20.0% |
Compare Illinois to Other States
See how Illinois counties stack up against counties in other states. Compare rent, home values, and affordability side by side.
Start a ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions About Illinois Housing Costs
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What is the most expensive county to live in Illinois?
How does Illinois's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the average home value in Illinois?
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.