1st Advantage MortgageThe median Grundy County household earns $92,235, and 6% of residents live below the poverty line. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- A quick profile of Grundy County
- Housing costs in Grundy County
- Grundy County's most unusual numbers
- Employment and commuting in Grundy County
- Grundy County income bands
- Grundy County communities by population
- Grundy County, Kendall County and other neighbors
- Borrowing situations common in Grundy County
- Debt-to-income at Grundy County's medians
- Grundy County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Steps before you apply in Grundy County
- Lender oversight for Grundy County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Grundy County
Roughly 53,219 residents live in Grundy County, Illinois, 26th by population among the state's 102 counties and county equivalents. It covers 418 square miles of land, or about 127 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area. Morris is the biggest of its 17 Census places, at roughly 14,898 people (28% of the county total).
Housing costs in Grundy County
A typical Grundy County rental runs $1,177 a month including utilities, which is 8% below Illinois. By the Census definition, 40% of Grundy County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $271,700, a typical Grundy County house costs 2.9 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 74%.
| Housing | Grundy County | Illinois statewide | Grundy County vs state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent-burdened renters | 40% | 48% | -7.8 pts |
| Owners | 74% | 67% | +7.3 pts |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 27% | -2.5 pts |
| Mobile homes | 3.9% | 2.3% | +1.7 pts |
| Median gross rent | $1,177/mo | $1,274/mo | 8% lower |
| Median home value | $271,700 | $263,300 | 3% higher |
In an owner-heavy county like Grundy County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Grundy County's most unusual numbers
The 4 Grundy County numbers that rank furthest from typical in Illinois, and what each means for a borrower:
- On the poverty rate, Grundy County sits near the bottom of Illinois at 6.0%, 3rd lowest of 102. Even here, a fee-first loan offer is a scam.
- Grundy County ranks 4th lowest of 102 Illinois counties for the housing vacancy rate: 4%, against 8% statewide. Few vacant units can mean a tight housing market.
- On median gross rent, Grundy County sits near the top of Illinois at $1,177/mo, 8th highest of 102. Rent this high leaves less room in a debt-to-income test.
- On the share of households earning $100,000 or more, Grundy County sits near the top of Illinois at 46%, 8th highest of 102. High earners still overpay when they skip comparing offers.
Employment and commuting in Grundy County
Top Grundy County industry by residents employed: education and health care, 21%; second, manufacturing, 12%. The sharpest difference from the state is in transportation, warehousing and utilities, at 12% locally and 7% for Illinois. Averaged over the five survey years, 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Commutes of 45 minutes-plus: 18%; under 15 minutes: 29%. Households without a car make up 4.0% of the total (11.0% statewide).
| Top industries | Grundy County share | +/- vs Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.9% | -2.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.2% | +0.8 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 11.8% | +4.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.7% | +1.4 pts |
| Construction | 8.6% | +3.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.8% | -5.1 pts |
Self-employed in Grundy County? Two years of tax returns usually stand in for pay stubs.
Grundy County income bands
The median household income in Grundy County is $92,235; statewide it is $83,390, so Grundy County runs 11% above Illinois as a whole.
| Income band | Share in Grundy County | Difference from Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 15.8% | -5.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.1% | +0.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 32.5% | +4.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 13.5% | -0.3 pts |
Six-figure households (46%) outnumber those under $35,000 (16%) in Grundy County. Census counts 6.0% of Grundy County residents in poverty, against 11.8% across Illinois. Grundy County scores 0.404 on the Gini index, where higher means more unequal incomes. None of these numbers decides a Grundy County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Grundy County communities by population
Places, by size: the top 14 of 17. Roughly 0% of Grundy County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. Channahon has the highest median household income on the list ($119,494) and Godley the lowest ($53,438), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $979 in Gardner to $1,708 in Channahon. From Morris to the smallest crossroads, Grundy County residents share this guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morris | city | 14,898 | $76,711 | $1,132 | 6 mi |
| Channahon | village | 13,927 | $119,494 | $1,708 | 12 mi |
| Minooka | village | 12,891 | $115,445 | $1,552 | 12 mi |
| Braidwood | city | 6,062 | $82,202 | $1,044 | 9 mi |
| Coal City | village | 5,317 | $72,857 | $1,123 | 6 mi |
| Dwight | village | 3,872 | $71,184 | $997 | 13 mi |
| Diamond | village | 2,984 | $73,201 | $1,357 | 8 mi |
| Seneca | village | 2,450 | $86,830 | $1,149 | 11 mi |
| Gardner | village | 1,410 | $88,092 | $979 | 8 mi |
| Mazon | village | 1,401 | $73,750 | $1,009 | 4 mi |
| Braceville | village | 860 | $89,167 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Godley | village | 602 | $53,438 | $1,386 | 9 mi |
| South Wilmington | village | 600 | $86,750 | $1,277 | 10 mi |
| Carbon Hill | village | 441 | $103,125 | $1,271 | 5 mi |
Grundy County, Kendall County and other neighbors
Six nearby counties, 20 to 42 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Grundy County's $92,235 median trails 3 of the six and beats 3; the range runs $71,281 (Kankakee County) to $112,096 (DuPage County).
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grundy County | - | $92,235 | $1,177/mo | 74% |
| Kendall County, IL | 20 mi | $111,601 | $1,781/mo | 84% |
| Will County, IL | 24 mi | $109,984 | $1,462/mo | 83% |
| LaSalle County, IL | 25 mi | $73,045 | $928/mo | 74% |
| Livingston County, IL | 29 mi | $73,790 | $880/mo | 74% |
| Kankakee County, IL | 30 mi | $71,281 | $1,097/mo | 70% |
| DuPage County, IL | 42 mi | $112,096 | $1,688/mo | 73% |
Borrowing situations common in Grundy County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Grundy County borrowers.
- Car trouble. For Grundy County drivers (18% with 45-minute-plus trips), price the repair against the car's value first.
- Higher earners. 46% of households clear $100,000; shop at least three lenders and pick the shortest term.
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
Debt-to-income at Grundy County's medians
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Grundy County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $7,686 before taxes
- Housing at the median rent of $1,177 uses 15%
- $2,128: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Grundy County residents: age, schooling, coverage
24% of Grundy County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. Uninsured, Grundy County: 3.4%; Illinois: 6.9%.
| Residents | Grundy County | Difference from Illinois | Difference from middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or higher | 23.6% | -14.3 pts | +1.4 pts |
| No vehicle | 4.0% | -7.0 pts | -1.4 pts |
| Work from home | 10.0% | -5.8 pts | +1.3 pts |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | -5.8 pts | -7.2 pts |
| No health insurance | 3.4% | -3.5 pts | -4.5 pts |
| No high school diploma | 6.2% | -3.3 pts | n/a |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.6% | -1.3 pts | +0.2 pts |
| Median age | 38.3 | -0.7 yrs | -3.2 yrs |
| One-way commute | Share of Grundy County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 28.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 29.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 23.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.8% |
| 60+ min | 8.5% |
Steps before you apply in Grundy County
Steps that save money for Grundy County residents:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Lender oversight for Grundy County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Grundy County resident can confirm its license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. If a Grundy County lender ignores a dispute, the CFPB complaint portal is the federal backstop. State-level detail for Grundy County borrowers is in the Illinois guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
Statewide:
Frequently asked questions
Where does Grundy County rank on income in Illinois?
10th of 102, with a median of $92,235. The state median is $83,390.
How does Grundy County rent compare with Illinois?
$1,177 locally versus $1,274 for the state, 8% below.
How many towns are in Grundy County?
The Census Bureau counts 17 places mainly in the county, led by Morris, Channahon, Minooka, Braidwood, Coal City.
Is the fit check different in Grundy County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Is there a Grundy County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Illinois it is the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.