Clay County, Illinois Housing Market Prices
Clay County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 36% below the Illinois median$95,335
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Median rent 42% below the Illinois median Cheaper than 81% of counties in Illinois$734
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Clay County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $95,335 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 4.6% | 2.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $734 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.6% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Clay County is about 36% lower than in Illinois. Rent is about 42% lower than the Illinois average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Clay County, up about 4.6% and 4.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Clay County rose about 44.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $507 to $734. Over the same span, rent in Illinois rose about 40.4%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 1.6 yearly household incomes in Clay County.
Buying the median-priced home in Clay County costs roughly 10.8 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Clay County. The price-to-rent ratio in Illinois is about 9.8.
| Metric | Clay County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $95,335 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $60,450 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 1.6 | 1.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Clay County rose about 32.4%, while median household income rose about 54.6% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Clay County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 68.3% | 61.9% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 17.8% | 30.4% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 13.9% | 7.7% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 18.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2008 | 2010 | 2011 |
Clay County has a homeownership rate of 68.3%, higher than the Illinois average of 61.9%. Its housing vacancy rate is 13.9%, compared with 7.7% in Illinois.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Clay County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.39 people | 2.46 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1974 | 1969 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Clay County was built around 1974. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 18.0 years on average.
Clay County, IL Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, IL is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 13,048 residents against a local median of 34,520. Clay County, IL's median home price, at $95,335, runs 57% below the $219,711 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $224,076 on median home price, so Clay County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clay County, IL has the 3rd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, IL | 13,048 | $95,335 #3/4 | $734 #3/4 | 79.3% #1/4 |
| Effingham County, IL | 34,520 | $219,711 | $732 | 78.2% |
| Richland County, IL | 15,599 | $251,414 | $805 | 73.8% |
| Marion County, IL | 37,000 | $27,338 | $793 | 74.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Clay County, Illinois.
What is the median home price in Clay County, Illinois?
The median home price in Clay County, Illinois is $95,335, lower than the Illinois average of $149,936.
What is the average home price in Clay County, Illinois?
The typical home price in Clay County, Illinois, reported as the median sale price, is $95,335. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Clay County, Illinois?
The median gross rent in Clay County, Illinois is $734 per month, lower than the Illinois average of $1,274.
What was the median gross rent in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Clay County, Illinois was $624 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Clay County, Illinois?
The price-to-rent ratio in Clay County, Illinois is about 10.8, meaning it would take roughly 10.8 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Clay County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Clay County, Illinois?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Clay County, up about 4.6% and 4.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Clay County, Illinois?
68.3% of households in Clay County, Illinois own their home, higher than the Illinois average of 61.9%.
What is the vacancy rate in Clay County, Illinois?
The housing vacancy rate in Clay County, Illinois is 13.9%, higher than the Illinois average of 7.7%.
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