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Buying a home in Galena, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Galena is worth about $233,200, 11% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 30% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,226 a year in property taxes, about 1.81% of their home's value, lower than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $58,689 a year, so the median home costs 4.0 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 56% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 55% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Galena at a glance

Galena Illinois U.S.
Median home value $233,200 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,226 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.81% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $58,689 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 56% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 55% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,556 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.4% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $836 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 27.3% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1945 1971 1980
Vacant homes 16.5% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 2,931 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Galena

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Galena home of $233,200 with 20% down costs about $1,704 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,092, 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 $73,025 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 35% of the median Galena household income of $58,689; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $187,000.

The median rent here is $836 a month, so owning the median home costs about $868 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$46,640
Loan amount$186,560
Principal and interest$1,255
Property taxes (1.81% a year)$352
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$97
PMI$0
Total per month$1,704

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,162
Loan amount$228,976
Principal and interest$1,540
Property taxes (1.81% a year)$352
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$97
FHA mortgage insurance$103
Total per month$2,092

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Questions about home buying in Galena

What is the median home value in Galena?

About $233,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Galena?

Homeowners pay a median $4,226 a year, which is about 1.81% 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 Galena?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,704 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $73,025 a year.

More about Galena

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