CostBy County

Cost of Living in Effingham County, Illinois

$733/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$189,500
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$733/mo
15% below state average
Median Home Value
$189,500
43% below national
Census GRAPI
22.7%
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 Effingham County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Effingham County$733/mo
Illinois Average$867/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$733/mo
Median Gross Rent
$189,500
Median Home Value
$995/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
22.7%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Effingham County ranks #1,363 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 43%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Effingham County Median Rent Burden Estimated at 22.7 Percent

In Effingham County, the official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 22.7%. This figure is 3.4 percentage points below the Illinois unweighted county mean of 26.1% for the same period. The median gross rent in the county was estimated at $733 per month, which differs from the state unweighted county mean of $867. For residents in owner-occupied housing, the median selected monthly owner cost is $995, compared to the unweighted county mean of $960 across the state. The median home value in the county is $189,500, a value $36,480 higher than the state unweighted county mean of $153,020. Among renter households, the median annual income was recorded at $43,823. These statistics are based on the ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Effingham County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 22.7% of renter household income in Effingham 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 $733 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $995. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $29,320 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. Effingham County's $733 median is 15.5% below that comparison value.

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

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Effingham County

$

Rent Burden

10.9%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,876

per month

Owner Cost Burden

14.9%

of gross income

You can likely afford the median home in Effingham County

Median home value is $189,500. Estimated monthly cost: $1,513 vs. your max of $1,876.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income10.9%
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: $80,404Needed: $29,320
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $80,404Needed: $42,643
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $80,404Needed: $44,102

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 Effingham County, Illinois?
Effingham County, Illinois has a median monthly rent of $733/mo and a median home value of $189,500. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 22.7% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Effingham County?
The median gross rent in Effingham County is $733/mo. This is 15% below state average for Illinois.
Is Effingham County affordable?
Effingham County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 22.7%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Effingham County's rent compare to the state average?
Effingham County's median rent of $733/mo is 15% below state average of $867/mo for Illinois.
What is the median home value in Effingham County?
The median home value in Effingham County, Illinois is $189,500. This is 43% 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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