The typical owner-occupied home in Ford County is worth about $122,000, 54% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 63% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,587 a year in property taxes, about 2.12% of their home's value, higher than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $62,439 a year, so the median home costs 2.0 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Ford County at a glance
| Ford County | Illinois | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $122,000 | $263,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,587 | $5,298 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 2.12% | 2.01% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $62,439 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 72% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 53% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,238 | $1,987 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 18.4% | 20.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $923 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 28.5% | 29.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1955 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 6.9% | 7.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 13,406 | 12,694,798 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Ford County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Ford County home of $122,000 with 20% down costs about $923 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,126, 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 $39,554 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 18% of the median Ford County household income of $62,439; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $193,000.
The median rent here is $923 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $24,400 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $97,600 |
| Principal and interest | $657 |
| Property taxes (2.12% a year) | $216 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $51 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $923 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $4,270 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $119,790 |
| Principal and interest | $806 |
| Property taxes (2.12% a year) | $216 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $51 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $54 |
| Total per month | $1,126 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Ford County
What is the median home value in Ford County?
About $122,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Ford County?
Homeowners pay a median $2,587 a year, which is about 2.12% 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 Ford County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $923 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $39,554 a year.
More about Ford County
- Mortgage Refinance in Ford County
- Debt Relief in Ford County
- Home Equity Loans in Ford 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