CostBy County

Cost of Living in Boone County, Illinois

$1,041/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$216,900
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$1,041/mo
20% above state average
Median Home Value
$216,900
35% below national
Census GRAPI
27.2%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Boone County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Boone County$1,041/mo
Illinois Average$867/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$1,041/mo
Median Gross Rent
$216,900
Median Home Value
$1,299/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
27.2%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Boone County ranks #2,496 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 21%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Median Gross Rent in Boone County Stands at 1,041 Dollars

Median gross rent in Boone County is $1,041 per month, a figure that is $174 higher than the Illinois unweighted county mean of $867. The official ACS B25071 Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (GRAPI) is 27.2%. This measure of renter cost is 1.1 percentage points above the state unweighted county mean of 26.1%. The median home value in the county is $216,900, which is $63,880 above the state unweighted county mean of $153,020. Renter households in the county have a median income of $42,572. For those owning homes, the median selected monthly owner cost is $1,299, compared to an Illinois unweighted county mean of $960. These data points represent the 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates and do not indicate future market trends or specific investment recommendations. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Boone County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 27.2% of renter household income in Boone County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $1,041 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,299. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $41,640 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The Illinois unweighted mean of county median rents is $867 per month. Boone County's $1,041 median is 20.0% above that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Boone County

$

Rent Burden

14.8%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,973

per month

Owner Cost Burden

18.4%

of gross income

You can likely afford the median home in Boone County

Median home value is $216,900. Estimated monthly cost: $1,732 vs. your max of $1,973.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income14.8%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $84,571Needed: $41,640
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $84,571Needed: $55,671
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $84,571Needed: $50,479

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Boone County, Illinois?
Boone County, Illinois has a median monthly rent of $1,041/mo and a median home value of $216,900. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 27.2% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Boone County?
The median gross rent in Boone County is $1,041/mo. This is 20% above state average for Illinois.
Is Boone County affordable?
Boone County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 27.2%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Boone County's rent compare to the state average?
Boone County's median rent of $1,041/mo is 20% above state average of $867/mo for Illinois.
What is the median home value in Boone County?
The median home value in Boone County, Illinois is $216,900. This is 35% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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