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Buying a home in Wheeling, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Wheeling is worth about $266,200, about the same as the Illinois median of $263,300 and 20% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $6,029 a year in property taxes, about 2.26% of their home's value, higher than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $85,205 a year, so the median home costs 3.1 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 63% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 62% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Wheeling at a glance

Wheeling Illinois U.S.
Median home value $266,200 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $6,029 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 2.26% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $85,205 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 63% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 62% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,909 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 23.9% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,663 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.5% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1980 1971 1980
Vacant homes 5.4% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 38,433 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Wheeling

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Wheeling home of $266,200 with 20% down costs about $2,045 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,488, 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 $87,637 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 29% of the median Wheeling household income of $85,205; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $259,000.

The median rent here is $1,663 a month, so owning the median home costs about $382 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$53,240
Loan amount$212,960
Principal and interest$1,433
Property taxes (2.26% a year)$501
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$111
PMI$0
Total per month$2,045

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$9,317
Loan amount$261,378
Principal and interest$1,758
Property taxes (2.26% a year)$501
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$111
FHA mortgage insurance$118
Total per month$2,488

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Questions about home buying in Wheeling

What is the median home value in Wheeling?

About $266,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Wheeling?

Homeowners pay a median $6,029 a year, which is about 2.26% 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 Wheeling?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,045 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $87,637 a year.

More about Wheeling

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