Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | DeKalb County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $319,231 | $162,405 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 19.6% | 3.9% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,041 | $1,226 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.5% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in DeKalb County is about 97% higher than in Illinois. Rent is about 15% lower than the Illinois average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in DeKalb County, up about 19.6% and 2.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in DeKalb County rose about 21.1% between 2015 and 2023, from $859 to $1,041. Over the same span, rent in Illinois rose about 35.1%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.6 yearly household incomes in DeKalb County.
Buying the median-priced home in DeKalb County costs roughly 25.6 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 11.0.
| Metric | DeKalb County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $319,231 | $162,405 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $69,617 | $82,179 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.6 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in DeKalb County rose about 166.7%, while median household income rose about 30.5% between 2009 and 2023 — 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 | 57.7% | 61.4% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 37.1% | 30.5% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.3% | 8.1% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2010 | 2011 |
DeKalb County has a homeownership rate of 57.7%, lower than the Illinois average of 61.4%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.3%, compared with 8.1% in Illinois.
Housing Stock
| Metric | DeKalb County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.44 people | 2.48 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1979 | 1968 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in DeKalb County was built around 1979. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
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 $319,231, higher than the Illinois average of $162,405.
What is the average home price in DeKalb County, Illinois?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. 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 $1,041 per month, lower than the Illinois average of $1,226.
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 25.6, meaning it would take roughly 25.6 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 19.6% and 2.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in DeKalb County, Illinois?
57.7% of households in DeKalb County, Illinois own their home, lower than the Illinois average of 61.4%.
What is the vacancy rate in DeKalb County, Illinois?
The housing vacancy rate in DeKalb County, Illinois is 5.3%, lower than the Illinois average of 8.1%.