The typical owner-occupied home in Cass County is worth about $97,100, 63% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 71% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,958 a year in property taxes, about 2.02% of their home's value, close to the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $68,125 a year, so the median home costs 1.4 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 76% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 50% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Cass County at a glance
| Cass County | Illinois | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,100 | $263,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,958 | $5,298 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 2.02% | 2.01% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $68,125 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 76% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 50% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,195 | $1,987 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 18.2% | 20.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $723 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 23.1% | 29.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1968 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.7% | 7.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 12,784 | 12,694,798 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Cass County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Cass County home of $97,100 with 20% down costs about $726 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $888, 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 $31,134 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 13% of the median Cass County household income of $68,125; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $212,000.
The median rent here is $723 a month, so owning the median home costs about $3 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $19,420 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $77,680 |
| Principal and interest | $523 |
| Property taxes (2.02% a year) | $163 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $40 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $726 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $3,398 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $95,341 |
| Principal and interest | $641 |
| Property taxes (2.02% a year) | $163 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $40 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $43 |
| Total per month | $888 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Cass County
What is the median home value in Cass County?
About $97,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Cass County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,958 a year, which is about 2.02% 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 Cass County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $726 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $31,134 a year.
More about Cass County
- Mortgage Refinance in Cass County
- Debt Relief in Cass County
- Home Equity Loans in Cass 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