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Buying a home in McLean County, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in McLean County is worth about $208,400, 21% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 37% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,524 a year in property taxes, about 2.17% of their home's value, higher than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $79,905 a year, so the median home costs 2.6 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.

McLean County at a glance

McLean County Illinois U.S.
Median home value $208,400 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,524 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 2.17% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $79,905 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 65% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 63% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,673 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.1% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,009 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 27.5% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1981 1971 1980
Vacant homes 6.8% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 171,556 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in McLean County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median McLean County home of $208,400 with 20% down costs about $1,585 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,932, 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 $67,938 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 24% of the median McLean County household income of $79,905; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $245,000.

The median rent here is $1,009 a month, so owning the median home costs about $576 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$41,680
Loan amount$166,720
Principal and interest$1,122
Property taxes (2.17% a year)$377
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$87
PMI$0
Total per month$1,585

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,294
Loan amount$204,625
Principal and interest$1,377
Property taxes (2.17% a year)$377
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$87
FHA mortgage insurance$92
Total per month$1,932

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Questions about home buying in McLean County

What is the median home value in McLean County?

About $208,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in McLean County?

Homeowners pay a median $4,524 a year, which is about 2.17% 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 McLean County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,585 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $67,938 a year.

More about McLean County

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