The typical owner-occupied home in Cook County is worth about $157,500, 48% below the Georgia median of $303,300 and 53% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,221 a year in property taxes, about 0.78% of their home's value, close to the Georgia rate of 0.77%. The median household earns $53,651 a year, so the median home costs 2.9 times the median income (3.9 times for Georgia). 66% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 47% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Cook County at a glance
| Cook County | Georgia | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,500 | $303,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,221 | $2,341 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.78% | 0.77% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $53,651 | $77,353 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 66% | 66% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 47% | 63% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,313 | $1,783 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.4% | 20.0% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $956 | $1,393 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 35.9% | 31.3% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1985 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 15.8% | 10.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 17,532 | 10,940,407 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Cook County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Cook County home of $157,500 with 20% down costs about $1,016 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,278, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $43,526 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 23% of the median Cook County household income of $53,651; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $194,000.
The median rent here is $956 a month, so owning the median home costs about $60 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $31,500 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $126,000 |
| Principal and interest | $848 |
| Property taxes (0.78% a year) | $102 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $66 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,016 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $5,512 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $154,647 |
| Principal and interest | $1,040 |
| Property taxes (0.78% a year) | $102 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $66 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $70 |
| Total per month | $1,278 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Cook County
What is the median home value in Cook County?
About $157,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Cook County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,221 a year, which is about 0.78% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Cook County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,016 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $43,526 a year.
More about Cook County
- Mortgage Refinance in Cook County
- Debt Relief in Cook County
- Home Equity Loans in Cook County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data