1st Advantage MortgageIn Lee County, Illinois, the typical household earns $70,292 a year and the typical rent is $894. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Illinois license first.
On this page
- Lee County by the numbers
- The Lee County job picture
- Paychecks and income spread in Lee County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Lee County
- How Lee County compares with nearby counties
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Lee County
- What a median Lee County budget can carry
- Lee County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Lee County data as a borrower
- Steps before you apply in Lee County
- Checking a lender's license in Illinois
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Lee County by the numbers
Lee County is home to about 33,869 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 42nd most populous of 102 county-level areas in Illinois. Spread over 725 square miles, that works out to roughly 46.7 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 13 Census places inside Lee County, Dixon leads by population with about 14,910; 11 of the 13 are incorporated.
The Lee County job picture
The biggest employer of Lee County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by manufacturing (17%). The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 17% locally and 11% for Illinois. Averaged over the five survey years, 5.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 15% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 6% work from home. Only 6.6% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Top industries | Lee County share | +/- vs Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.8% | +0.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 16.7% | +5.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | +0.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.6% | -0.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.4% | -5.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.3% | +0.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Paychecks and income spread in Lee County
The median household income in Lee County is $70,292; statewide it is $83,390, so Lee County runs 16% below Illinois as a whole. Only 42 Illinois counties post a higher median.
| Household income | Lee County | vs Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.2% | +2.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.8% | +6.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.9% | -2.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.1% | -6.7 pts |
About 23% of households earn under $35,000, while 33% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 11.8%, the same as the state's 11.8%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.435 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Lee County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Rent, home values and ownership in Lee County
A typical Lee County rental runs $894 a month including utilities, which is 30% below Illinois. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 42% of renter households here. With a median value of $154,600, a typical Lee County house costs 2.2 times what the median household earns in a year. 74% of Lee County households own their home and 26% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1960.
| Lee County | Illinois | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $894/mo | $1,274/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $154,600 | $263,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 27% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 11% | 8% | n/a |
Because most Lee County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
How Lee County compares with nearby counties
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (20 to 38 miles). Ogle County leads the group on income ($82,132), Whiteside County trails ($67,500), and Lee County out-earns 2 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | - | $70,292 | $894/mo | 74% |
| Ogle County, IL | 20 mi | $82,132 | $936/mo | 75% |
| Bureau County, IL | 27 mi | $69,257 | $832/mo | 76% |
| DeKalb County, IL | 29 mi | $70,724 | $1,049/mo | 61% |
| Whiteside County, IL | 32 mi | $67,500 | $856/mo | 77% |
| LaSalle County, IL | 35 mi | $73,045 | $928/mo | 74% |
| Putnam County, IL | 38 mi | $75,590 | $851/mo | 81% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Lee County
Here are the 13 most populous of the county's 13 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 64% of Lee County residents live in one of the 13. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $58,618 in Franklin Grove to $68,258 in Amboy. This guide covers each of the 13 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dixon | city | 14,910 | $59,406 | $912 | 11 mi |
| Amboy | city | 2,384 | $68,258 | $824 | 3 mi |
| Franklin Grove | village | 988 | $58,618 | $800 | 6 mi |
| Ashton | village | 935 | $62,778 | $898 | 9 mi |
| Paw Paw | village | 932 | $65,156 | $920 | 17 mi |
| Sublette | village | 454 | $66,250 | $622 | 8 mi |
| Steward | village | 271 | $102,500 | $1,375 | 16 mi |
| Compton | village | 259 | $57,500 | $1,009 | 12 mi |
| West Brooklyn | village | 152 | $76,250 | $1,611 | 9 mi |
| Nelson | village | 125 | $39,250 | n/a | 16 mi |
| Harmon | village | 100 | $66,250 | n/a | 13 mi |
| Nachusa | CDP | 82 | $108,438 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Lee Center | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 1 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
What a median Lee County budget can carry
How much room does a median Lee County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,858 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $894, takes 15% of that
- Under a 43% cap, $2,519 total minus rent leaves $1,625
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Lee County's.
Lee County residents: age, schooling, coverage
19% of Lee County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 3.8%, against 6.9% for Illinois.
| Lee County | Illinois | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.4% | 37.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.8% | 9.5% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 3.8% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.6% | 11.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.2% | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 39.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.3% |
| 60+ min | 9.2% |
Reading the Lee County data as a borrower
Where the Lee County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
Steps before you apply in Lee County
Quick steps for Lee County:
- Price the Lee County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Illinois borrowers.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Checking a lender's license in Illinois
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is the place to verify any lender's Illinois license. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. Statewide data and rules: Illinois guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Illinois guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Lee County earn?
The median is $70,292; 33% earn $100,000 or more and 23% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Lee County rent compare with Illinois?
$894 locally versus $1,274 for the state, 30% below.
I own my home in Lee County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 74% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
What are the biggest places in Lee County?
By population: Dixon, Amboy, Franklin Grove, Ashton, Paw Paw. The county has 13 Census places in all.
Can Lee County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Illinois county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.