The typical owner-occupied home in Elgin is worth about $273,000, 4% above the Illinois median of $263,300 and 18% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $6,184 a year in property taxes, about 2.27% of their home's value, higher than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $90,282 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 68% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Elgin at a glance
| Elgin | Illinois | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $273,000 | $263,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $6,184 | $5,298 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 2.27% | 2.01% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $90,282 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 72% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 68% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,016 | $1,987 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 22.0% | 20.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,361 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 29.5% | 29.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1977 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 3.0% | 7.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 114,934 | 12,694,798 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Elgin
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Elgin home of $273,000 with 20% down costs about $2,099 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,554, 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 $89,973 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 28% of the median Elgin household income of $90,282; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $274,000.
The median rent here is $1,361 a month, so owning the median home costs about $738 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $54,600 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $218,400 |
| Principal and interest | $1,469 |
| Property taxes (2.27% a year) | $516 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $114 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,099 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $9,555 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $268,055 |
| Principal and interest | $1,803 |
| Property taxes (2.27% a year) | $516 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $114 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $121 |
| Total per month | $2,554 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Elgin
What is the median home value in Elgin?
About $273,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Elgin?
Homeowners pay a median $6,184 a year, which is about 2.27% 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 Elgin?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,099 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $89,973 a year.
More about Elgin
- Mortgage Refinance in Elgin
- Debt Relief in Elgin
- Home Equity Loans in Elgin
- 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