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Buying a home in Elkhart, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Elkhart is worth about $121,600, 54% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 63% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,185 a year in property taxes, about 1.80% of their home's value, lower than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $108,594 a year, so the median home costs 1.1 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 81% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Elkhart at a glance

Elkhart Illinois U.S.
Median home value $121,600 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,185 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.80% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $108,594 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 81% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 65% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,321 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 14.7% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $839 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 13.8% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1953 1971 1980
Vacant homes 6.7% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 533 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Elkhart

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Elkhart home of $121,600 with 20% down costs about $887 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,090, 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 $38,035 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 10% of the median Elkhart household income of $108,594; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $347,000.

The median rent here is $839 a month, so owning the median home costs about $48 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$24,320
Loan amount$97,280
Principal and interest$654
Property taxes (1.80% a year)$182
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$51
PMI$0
Total per month$887

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,256
Loan amount$119,398
Principal and interest$803
Property taxes (1.80% a year)$182
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$51
FHA mortgage insurance$54
Total per month$1,090

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Questions about home buying in Elkhart

What is the median home value in Elkhart?

About $121,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Elkhart?

Homeowners pay a median $2,185 a year, which is about 1.80% 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 Elkhart?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $887 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $38,035 a year.

More about Elkhart

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