Median household income in Illinois is $83,390 and median rent is $1,274 a month, per Census 2020 to 2024 estimates. Compare at least three written offers on APR and total cost, verify the lender's license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and never pay a fee before funding.
On this page
- Illinois by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Illinois borrowers
- Largest places in Illinois
- More Illinois cities and towns
- Counties with the most residents
- How Illinois earns a living
- More context for Illinois budgets
- Checking a lender in Illinois
- Can Illinois residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Illinois
- Frequently asked questions
Illinois by the numbers
The table compares Illinois with the United States on sixteen measures that shape household budgets, and ranks it against the other states and the District of Columbia. All figures are American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 five-year estimates.
| Indicator | Illinois | U.S. | Rank (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $83,390 | $80,734 | 18th |
| Homeownership rate | 67% | 65% | 30th |
| Cost-burdened owners with a mortgage | 27% | 28% | 24th |
| Home value to income ratio | 3.2x | 4.1x | 42nd |
| Workers commuting 45+ minutes | 20% | 17% | 6th |
| Working from home | 16% | 15% | 19th |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree | 38% | 36% | 13th |
| Median age | 39.0 | 38.9 | 29th |
| Income inequality (Gini index) | 0.481 | 0.483 | 9th |
| Share of households under $35,000 | 21% | 21% | 28th |
| Households earning $100,000 or more | 42% | 41% | 18th |
| People below the poverty line | 11.8% | 12.5% | 26th |
| Unemployment rate (ACS) | 5.8% | 5.2% | 9th |
| Rent, median gross (monthly) | $1,274 | $1,413 | 24th |
| Rent-burdened renters (30%+) | 48% | 51% | 34th |
| Median home value | $263,300 | $332,700 | 32nd |
What the numbers mean for Illinois borrowers
Long commutes of 45 minutes or more affect 20% of Illinois workers, which ranks 6th of 51. Remote and self-employed workers should expect lenders to ask for bank statements or tax returns in place of a simple pay stub.
Illinois posts an ACS unemployment rate of 5.8% and a poverty rate of 11.8%, compared with 5.2% and 12.5% for the country. If your job is seasonal or hourly, lenders may ask for more months of statements to see a steady pattern.
A Illinois renter pays $1,274 a month at the median, and 48% of renters carry a rent burden of 30 percent or more, below the 51% U.S. rate. Size any payment to the month after rent is paid, not to your gross income.
Illinois's median household income is $83,390, 18th of 51 and 3% above the U.S. figure of $80,734. Half of households earn more than this and half earn less, and a lender will look only at where you sit.
Largest places in Illinois
Where most Illinois residents live: the 12 largest cities, towns and census-designated places, with the latest five-year Census figures.
| Place | County | Population | Median household income | Rent (median) | Home value (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Cook County, DuPage County | 2,711,226 | $77,902 | $1,440 | $334,100 |
| Aurora | DuPage County, Kane County | 179,898 | $93,633 | $1,596 | $274,800 |
| Naperville | DuPage County, Will County | 150,692 | $155,105 | $1,885 | $540,200 |
| Joliet | Will County, Kendall County | 150,445 | $92,201 | $1,276 | $265,800 |
| Rockford | Winnebago County, Ogle County | 147,521 | $54,752 | $985 | $129,000 |
| Elgin | Kane County, Cook County | 114,934 | $90,282 | $1,361 | $273,000 |
| Springfield | Sangamon County | 113,330 | $66,064 | $975 | $162,100 |
| Peoria | Peoria County | 112,169 | $59,410 | $1,005 | $156,200 |
| Champaign | Champaign County | 89,996 | $56,118 | $1,123 | $210,900 |
| Waukegan | Lake County | 89,076 | $71,919 | $1,205 | $190,900 |
| Cicero | Cook County | 82,797 | $70,842 | $1,154 | $249,400 |
| Bloomington | McLean County | 78,907 | $77,384 | $1,050 | $203,300 |
Counting places of 20,000 or more people, median household income in Illinois tops out at $190,662 in Wilmette and bottoms out at $32,128 in Carbondale. The state has 30 places over 50,000 and 226 over 10,000. The highest median rent among them is $2,463 in Northbrook, the lowest $771 in Carbondale.
More Illinois cities and towns
Places ranked 13 to 32 by population.
| Place | Residents | Median income | Rent (median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schaumburg | 76,868 | $97,514 | $1,812 |
| Evanston | 76,340 | $96,434 | $1,762 |
| Arlington Heights | 76,005 | $116,723 | $1,760 |
| Bolingbrook | 74,096 | $108,400 | $1,749 |
| Decatur | 69,815 | $51,592 | $845 |
| Palatine | 66,293 | $97,819 | $1,549 |
| Skokie | 66,219 | $95,337 | $1,552 |
| Des Plaines | 59,156 | $97,875 | $1,606 |
| Orland Park | 57,916 | $98,910 | $1,440 |
| Oak Lawn | 56,861 | $83,911 | $1,335 |
| Berwyn | 55,595 | $78,408 | $1,215 |
| Mount Prospect | 55,472 | $101,720 | $1,502 |
| Tinley Park | 54,842 | $105,189 | $1,495 |
| Normal | 53,569 | $64,785 | $965 |
| Wheaton | 53,557 | $120,008 | $1,799 |
| Oak Park | 53,292 | $110,820 | $1,593 |
| Hoffman Estates | 51,175 | $106,806 | $1,734 |
| Downers Grove | 50,054 | $115,114 | $1,656 |
| Glenview | 47,752 | $143,056 | $2,148 |
| Plainfield | 46,708 | $144,000 | $2,119 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Schaumburg (22%) and least in Tinley Park (17%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
Of 102 counties in Illinois, these 16 have the most people.
| County | Population | Median income | Median rent | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 5,182,090 | $83,498 | $1,435 | $324,500 |
| DuPage County | 930,024 | $112,096 | $1,688 | $391,400 |
| Lake County | 714,223 | $110,416 | $1,477 | $345,700 |
| Will County | 701,462 | $109,984 | $1,462 | $319,600 |
| Kane County | 517,255 | $103,163 | $1,453 | $327,000 |
| McHenry County | 312,591 | $104,802 | $1,401 | $308,100 |
| Winnebago County | 283,292 | $65,837 | $1,021 | $164,500 |
| Madison County | 264,238 | $75,793 | $1,024 | $173,000 |
| St. Clair County | 253,694 | $73,854 | $1,090 | $180,300 |
| Champaign County | 208,741 | $63,683 | $1,051 | $211,500 |
| Sangamon County | 194,947 | $75,357 | $983 | $176,300 |
| Peoria County | 179,645 | $65,108 | $993 | $158,500 |
| McLean County | 171,556 | $79,905 | $1,009 | $208,400 |
| Rock Island County | 142,757 | $67,159 | $889 | $150,400 |
| Kendall County | 137,675 | $111,601 | $1,781 | $322,400 |
| Tazewell County | 130,290 | $77,982 | $909 | $167,500 |
Median income by county stretches from $42,463 (Pulaski County) up to $112,096 (DuPage County). That spread is a reminder to size a payment to your own budget, not to a state average.
How Illinois earns a living
Where Illinois residents work, by the four largest industries, compared with the U.S. (ACS 2020 to 2024).
| Sector | Share of Illinois workers | National share | Gap vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 24% | 24% | +0.1 pts |
| Professional, scientific and administrative services | 13% | 13% | +0.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11% | 10% | +1.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 10% | 11% | -0.5 pts |
Manufacturing is the sector with the biggest gap over the national mix, employing 11% of Illinois workers (U.S.: 10%). Industry matters to a borrower because it decides how easy income is to document: salaried and public jobs verify quickly, while tips, commission, seasonal and contract pay need more records.
More context for Illinois budgets
Owners make up 67% of Illinois households. With a median home value of $263,300, 32nd of 51, a house costs about 3.2 years of median household income. Among owners with a mortgage, 27% spend 30 percent or more of income on housing (U.S.: 28%). An unsecured loan keeps the house out of the deal, which is worth something even when a home-equity line is cheaper.
About 21% of households in Illinois take in less than $35,000 a year and 42% take in $100,000 or more; nationally the shares are 21% and 41%. Because partners generally need $30,000 or more in yearly income, the questionnaire states that floor on the income step instead of surprising anyone at the end.
Illinois's Gini index of income inequality is 0.481 (U.S.: 0.483; higher means more unequal), 38% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree, and the median resident is 39.0 years old.
Checking a lender in Illinois
Any lender offering loans in Illinois should be able to show a license or a bank charter. For state-level questions, the CSBS directory points to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
- Ask for the lender's license number and look it up on NMLS Consumer Access.
- Never pay a fee before the money arrives; the FTC calls that an advance-fee loan scam.
- Complaints can go to the state agency and to the CFPB.
Can Illinois residents use the questionnaire?
Partner availability depends on the state. For Illinois, the questionnaire checks coverage at the location step and never asks for contact details when no partner can help.
Local guides in Illinois
Open a local guide for a closer look at your own city (13 in Illinois):
- Arlington Heights
- Aurora
- Bolingbrook
- Chicago
- Des Plaines
- Downers Grove
- Elgin
- Evanston
- Joliet
- Naperville
- Palatine
- Schaumburg
- Skokie
Frequently asked questions
Which agency licenses lenders in Illinois?
Start with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Illinois's banking agency in the CSBS directory. Many lenders' state licenses also appear on NMLS Consumer Access, and the CFPB takes complaints nationwide.
How much does a typical Illinois household earn?
$83,390 a year in the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, 18th among the 50 states and DC; the national median is $80,734.
How much do Illinois renters pay?
The typical renter pays $1,274; the U.S. median is $1,413. In Illinois, 48% of renting households spend 30 percent or more of income on housing.
What share of Illinois households earn $100,000 or more?
42% of households, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates, while 21% earn under $35,000. Lenders look at your own documented income, not these shares.