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Buying a home in Dakota, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Dakota is worth about $115,600, 56% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 65% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,373 a year in property taxes, about 2.05% of their home's value, close to the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $55,815 a year, so the median home costs 2.1 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 58% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 52% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Dakota at a glance

Dakota Illinois U.S.
Median home value $115,600 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,373 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 2.05% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $55,815 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 58% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 52% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,142 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.2% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $656 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 22.5% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1953 1971 1980
Vacant homes 10.9% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 645 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Dakota

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Dakota home of $115,600 with 20% down costs about $868 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,060, 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 $37,190 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Dakota household income of $55,815; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $173,000.

The median rent here is $656 a month, so owning the median home costs about $212 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$23,120
Loan amount$92,480
Principal and interest$622
Property taxes (2.05% a year)$197
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$48
PMI$0
Total per month$868

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,046
Loan amount$113,506
Principal and interest$764
Property taxes (2.05% a year)$197
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$48
FHA mortgage insurance$51
Total per month$1,060

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Questions about home buying in Dakota

What is the median home value in Dakota?

About $115,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Dakota?

Homeowners pay a median $2,373 a year, which is about 2.05% 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 Dakota?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $868 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $37,190 a year.

More about Dakota

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