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Buying a home in Whiteside County, Illinois

The typical owner-occupied home in Whiteside County is worth about $127,100, 52% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 62% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,598 a year in property taxes, about 2.04% of their home's value, close to the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $67,500 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 55% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Whiteside County at a glance

Whiteside County Illinois U.S.
Median home value $127,100 $263,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,598 $5,298 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 2.04% 2.01% 0.94%
Median household income $67,500 $83,390 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 77% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 55% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,216 $1,987 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.5% 20.6% 21.0%
Median rent $856 $1,274 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 27.8% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1961 1971 1980
Vacant homes 10.5% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 54,947 12,694,798 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Whiteside County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Whiteside County home of $127,100 with 20% down costs about $953 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,165, 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 $40,845 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 17% of the median Whiteside County household income of $67,500; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $210,000.

The median rent here is $856 a month, so owning the median home costs about $97 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$25,420
Loan amount$101,680
Principal and interest$684
Property taxes (2.04% a year)$216
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$53
PMI$0
Total per month$953

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,448
Loan amount$124,798
Principal and interest$840
Property taxes (2.04% a year)$216
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$53
FHA mortgage insurance$56
Total per month$1,165

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Questions about home buying in Whiteside County

What is the median home value in Whiteside County?

About $127,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Whiteside County?

Homeowners pay a median $2,598 a year, which is about 2.04% 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 Whiteside County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $953 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $40,845 a year.

More about Whiteside 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