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Buying a home in Darien, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Darien is worth about $398,700, 51% above the Illinois median of $263,300 and 20% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $7,119 a year in property taxes, about 1.79% of their home's value, lower than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $111,215 a year, so the median home costs 3.6 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 79% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 54% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Darien at a glance

Darien Illinois U.S.
Median home value $398,700 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $7,119 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.79% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $111,215 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 79% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 54% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,246 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.4% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,857 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.5% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1978 1971 1980
Vacant homes 2.4% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 21,879 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Darien

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Darien home of $398,700 with 20% down costs about $2,907 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,571, 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 $124,565 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 31% of the median Darien household income of $111,215; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $356,000.

The median rent here is $1,857 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,050 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$79,740
Loan amount$318,960
Principal and interest$2,146
Property taxes (1.79% a year)$595
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$166
PMI$0
Total per month$2,907

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$13,954
Loan amount$391,479
Principal and interest$2,634
Property taxes (1.79% a year)$595
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$166
FHA mortgage insurance$176
Total per month$3,571

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Questions about home buying in Darien

What is the median home value in Darien?

About $398,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Darien?

Homeowners pay a median $7,119 a year, which is about 1.79% 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 Darien?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,907 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $124,565 a year.

More about Darien

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