Most affordable cities for home buyers in Illinois.
Affordability = how many years of household income buys the median home. This ranks Illinois cities by price-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable).
Last updated
Illinois ranking
50 cities ranked. Click any row for the matching local page.
| # | City | Price-to-income ratio | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Saint Louis | 5.2x income | 47 | View → |
| 2 | Chicago | 4.5x income | 58 | View → |
| 3 | Harvey | 4.5x income | 58 | View → |
| 4 | Rockford | 4.1x income | 65 | View → |
| 5 | Springfield | 4.1x income | 65 | View → |
| 6 | Peoria | 4.1x income | 65 | View → |
| 7 | Joliet | 4.1x income | 65 | View → |
| 8 | Elgin | 4.1x income | 65 | View → |
| 9 | Riverdale | 4.1x income | 65 | View → |
| 10 | Aurora | 4.0x income | 67 | View → |
| 11 | Decatur | 4.0x income | 67 | View → |
| 12 | Belleville | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 13 | Champaign | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 14 | Schaumburg | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 15 | Berwyn | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 16 | Round Lake | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 17 | Oak Lawn | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 18 | Urbana | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 19 | Dekalb | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 20 | Danville | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 21 | Moline | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 22 | Pekin | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 23 | Elmwood Park | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 24 | Addison | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 25 | Carpentersville | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 26 | Hanover Park | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 27 | Wheeling | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 28 | Kankakee | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 29 | Carbondale | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 30 | Collinsville | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 31 | Niles | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 32 | Bourbonnais | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 33 | Lansing | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 34 | Oak Forest | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 35 | Jacksonville | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 36 | East Peoria | 3.8x income | 69 | View → |
| 37 | Waukegan | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 38 | Des Plaines | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 39 | Cicero | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 40 | Skokie | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 41 | Chicago Heights | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 42 | Mchenry | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 43 | Mount Prospect | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 44 | Normal | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 45 | Lombard | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 46 | Quincy | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 47 | Melrose Park | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 48 | Granite City | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 49 | Carol Stream | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
| 50 | Streamwood | 3.8x income | 70 | View → |
Methodology
Ratio = estimated home value ÷ average household income (Census ACS). Demographia bands (under 3.0 affordable, over 5.0 severely unaffordable) are designed around medians, so treat these as directional. Cities whose true median home value likely exceeds the dataset's modeled value (e.g. SF Bay, Manhattan) are flagged in their state pages.
FAQ
- What's a healthy ratio in Illinois?
- Under 3.0 is considered affordable; 3.0-4.0 moderate; 4.0-5.0 seriously unaffordable; over 5.0 severely unaffordable.
- Does this account for interest rates?
- No, price-to-income is rate-agnostic so it stays comparable across cycles.
- What if my income is higher?
- Your personal ratio matters more than the market median. Use it as a relative comparison.
Other reports for Illinois
Best Cities for Owner Financing
Cheapest Rent-to-Own Markets
Cities With Most FSBO Activity
Investor Competition by Market
Estimated Owner-Finance Down Payment by City
Cities With Most Cash Buyers
Foreclosure Risk by City
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