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 | Douglas County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $52,125 | $162,405 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | -7.2% | 3.9% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $818 | $1,226 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.2% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Douglas County is about 68% lower than in Illinois. Rent is about 33% lower than the Illinois average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Douglas County: home prices fell about 7.2% a year while rent rose about 3.2% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
Median rent in Douglas County rose about 25.2% between 2015 and 2023, from $653 to $818. Over the same span, rent in Illinois rose about 35.1%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 0.7 yearly household incomes in Douglas County.
Buying the median-priced home in Douglas County costs roughly 5.3 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 Douglas County. The price-to-rent ratio in Illinois is about 11.0.
| Metric | Douglas County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $52,125 | $162,405 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $73,541 | $82,179 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 0.7 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Douglas County fell about 38.6%, while median household income rose about 54.9% between 2009 and 2023 — 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 | Douglas County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 72.8% | 61.4% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 19.3% | 30.5% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 7.9% | 8.1% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2010 | 2011 |
Douglas County has a homeownership rate of 72.8%, higher than the Illinois average of 61.4%. Its housing vacancy rate is 7.9%, compared with 8.1% in Illinois.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Douglas County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.49 people | 2.48 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1966 | 1968 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.9 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Douglas County was built around 1966. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 5.9 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Douglas County, Illinois.
What is the median home price in Douglas County, Illinois?
The median home price in Douglas County, Illinois is $52,125, lower than the Illinois average of $162,405.
What is the average home price in Douglas 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 Douglas County, Illinois?
The median gross rent in Douglas County, Illinois is $818 per month, lower than the Illinois average of $1,226.
What was the median gross rent in Douglas County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Douglas County, Illinois was $734 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Douglas County, Illinois?
The price-to-rent ratio in Douglas County, Illinois is about 5.3, meaning it would take roughly 5.3 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 Douglas County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Douglas County, Illinois?
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Douglas County: home prices fell about 7.2% a year while rent rose about 3.2% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
What is the homeownership rate in Douglas County, Illinois?
72.8% of households in Douglas County, Illinois own their home, higher than the Illinois average of 61.4%.
What is the vacancy rate in Douglas County, Illinois?
The housing vacancy rate in Douglas County, Illinois is 7.9%, lower than the Illinois average of 8.1%.