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Buying a home in Elsah, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Elsah is worth about $221,400, 16% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 33% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,056 a year in property taxes, about 1.38% of their home's value, lower than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $98,125 a year, so the median home costs 2.3 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 87% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 59% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Elsah at a glance

Elsah Illinois U.S.
Median home value $221,400 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,056 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.38% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $98,125 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 87% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 59% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,750 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 14.2% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,406 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 11.3% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1938 1971 1980
Vacant homes 62.1% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 708 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Elsah

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Elsah home of $221,400 with 20% down costs about $1,538 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,907, 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 $65,930 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Elsah household income of $98,125; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $330,000.

The median rent here is $1,406 a month, so owning the median home costs about $132 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$44,280
Loan amount$177,120
Principal and interest$1,192
Property taxes (1.38% a year)$255
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$92
PMI$0
Total per month$1,538

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,749
Loan amount$217,390
Principal and interest$1,462
Property taxes (1.38% a year)$255
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$92
FHA mortgage insurance$98
Total per month$1,907

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Questions about home buying in Elsah

What is the median home value in Elsah?

About $221,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Elsah?

Homeowners pay a median $3,056 a year, which is about 1.38% 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 Elsah?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,538 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $65,930 a year.

More about Elsah

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