The typical owner-occupied home in Pope County is worth about $143,800, 45% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 57% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,477 a year in property taxes, about 1.03% of their home's value, lower than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $60,050 a year, so the median home costs 2.4 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 86% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 39% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Pope County at a glance
| Pope County | Illinois | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $143,800 | $263,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,477 | $5,298 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.03% | 2.01% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $60,050 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 86% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 39% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,394 | $1,987 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 17.2% | 20.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $449 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 18.1% | 29.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1986 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 37.8% | 7.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 3,739 | 12,694,798 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Pope County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Pope County home of $143,800 with 20% down costs about $957 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,197, 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 $41,024 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Pope County household income of $60,050; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $210,000.
The median rent here is $449 a month, so owning the median home costs about $508 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $28,760 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $115,040 |
| Principal and interest | $774 |
| Property taxes (1.03% a year) | $123 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $60 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $957 |
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| Down payment | $5,033 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $141,195 |
| Principal and interest | $950 |
| Property taxes (1.03% a year) | $123 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $60 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $64 |
| Total per month | $1,197 |
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Questions about home buying in Pope County
What is the median home value in Pope County?
About $143,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Pope County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,477 a year, which is about 1.03% 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 Pope County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $957 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $41,024 a year.
More about Pope County
- Mortgage Refinance in Pope County
- Debt Relief in Pope County
- Home Equity Loans in Pope County
- 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