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Buying a home in Boone County, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Boone County is worth about $216,900, 18% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 35% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,735 a year in property taxes, about 2.18% of their home's value, higher than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $84,571 a year, so the median home costs 2.6 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 82% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Boone County at a glance

Boone County Illinois U.S.
Median home value $216,900 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,735 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 2.18% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $84,571 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 82% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 60% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,635 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.2% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,041 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 27.2% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1986 1971 1980
Vacant homes 4.1% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 53,230 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Boone County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Boone County home of $216,900 with 20% down costs about $1,652 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,013, 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 $70,787 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 23% of the median Boone County household income of $84,571; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $259,000.

The median rent here is $1,041 a month, so owning the median home costs about $611 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$43,380
Loan amount$173,520
Principal and interest$1,167
Property taxes (2.18% a year)$394
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$90
PMI$0
Total per month$1,652

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,592
Loan amount$212,971
Principal and interest$1,433
Property taxes (2.18% a year)$394
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$90
FHA mortgage insurance$96
Total per month$2,013

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Questions about home buying in Boone County

What is the median home value in Boone County?

About $216,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Boone County?

Homeowners pay a median $4,735 a year, which is about 2.18% 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 Boone County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,652 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $70,787 a year.

More about Boone County

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