DeKalb County, Illinois Housing Market Prices
DeKalb 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 123% above the Illinois median Among the 3 most expensive counties in Illinois$334,212
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Median rent 18% below the Illinois median More expensive than 89% of counties in Illinois$1,048
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | DeKalb County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $334,212 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 17.8% | 2.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,048 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.3% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in DeKalb County is about 123% higher than in Illinois. Rent is about 18% 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 DeKalb County, up about 17.8% and 2.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in DeKalb County rose about 22.0% between 2015 and 2024, from $859 to $1,048. Over the same span, rent in Illinois rose about 40.4%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.7 yearly household incomes in DeKalb County.
Buying the median-priced home in DeKalb County costs roughly 26.6 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in DeKalb County. The price-to-rent ratio in Illinois is about 9.8.
| Metric | DeKalb County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $334,212 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $71,059 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.7 | 1.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in DeKalb County rose about 179.2%, while median household income rose about 26.6% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | DeKalb County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 58.3% | 61.9% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 36.6% | 30.4% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.1% | 7.7% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2010 | 2011 |
DeKalb County has a homeownership rate of 58.3%, lower than the Illinois average of 61.9%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.1%, compared with 7.7% in Illinois.
Housing Stock
| Metric | DeKalb County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.42 people | 2.46 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1980 | 1969 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in DeKalb County was built around 1980. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
DeKalb County, IL Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
DeKalb County, IL is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 100,702 residents against a local median of 137,674. DeKalb County, IL's median home price, at $334,212, runs 55% above the $215,928 typical of the counties around it.
Median rent tells the same story from another angle: $1,048 against a local median of $1,401, 25% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is homeownership, and at 25% below the local median it puts DeKalb County, IL at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $286,130 on median home price, so DeKalb County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. DeKalb County, IL has the highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County, IL | 100,702 | $334,212 #1/6 | $1,048 #4/6 | 61.4% #6/6 |
| Kane County, IL | 517,214 | $215,928 | $1,452 | 76.0% |
| Boone County, IL | 53,226 | $66,484 | $1,041 | 81.8% |
| Kendall County, IL | 137,674 | $332,795 | $1,780 | 84.0% |
| McHenry County, IL | 312,591 | $263,961 | $1,401 | 82.7% |
| Lee County, IL | 33,849 | $46,666 | $894 | 73.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in DeKalb County, Illinois.
What is the median home price in DeKalb County, Illinois?
The median home price in DeKalb County, Illinois is $334,212, higher than the Illinois average of $149,936.
What is the average home price in DeKalb County, Illinois?
The typical home price in DeKalb County, Illinois, reported as the median sale price, is $334,212. 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 DeKalb County, Illinois?
The median gross rent in DeKalb County, Illinois is $1,048 per month, lower than the Illinois average of $1,274.
What was the median gross rent in DeKalb County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in DeKalb County, Illinois was $917 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in DeKalb County, Illinois?
The price-to-rent ratio in DeKalb County, Illinois is about 26.6, meaning it would take roughly 26.6 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in DeKalb County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in DeKalb County, Illinois?
Both home prices and rent are rising in DeKalb County, up about 17.8% and 2.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in DeKalb County, Illinois?
58.3% of households in DeKalb County, Illinois own their home, lower than the Illinois average of 61.9%.
What is the vacancy rate in DeKalb County, Illinois?
The housing vacancy rate in DeKalb County, Illinois is 5.1%, lower than the Illinois average of 7.7%.
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