Home / Home Buying by state / Illinois / Lake County / Zion

Buying a home in Zion, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Zion is worth about $183,800, 30% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 45% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $6,120 a year in property taxes, about 3.33% of their home's value, higher than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $63,104 a year, so the median home costs 2.9 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 58% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Zion at a glance

Zion Illinois U.S.
Median home value $183,800 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $6,120 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 3.33% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $63,104 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 58% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 65% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,765 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 23.2% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,186 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.7% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1971 1971 1980
Vacant homes 6.0% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 24,600 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Zion

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Zion home of $183,800 with 20% down costs about $1,576 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,882, 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 $67,533 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 30% of the median Zion household income of $63,104; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $172,000.

The median rent here is $1,186 a month, so owning the median home costs about $390 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$36,760
Loan amount$147,040
Principal and interest$989
Property taxes (3.33% a year)$510
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$77
PMI$0
Total per month$1,576

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,433
Loan amount$180,471
Principal and interest$1,214
Property taxes (3.33% a year)$510
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$77
FHA mortgage insurance$81
Total per month$1,882

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Zion

What is the median home value in Zion?

About $183,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Zion?

Homeowners pay a median $6,120 a year, which is about 3.33% 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 Zion?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,576 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $67,533 a year.

More about Zion

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