Mercer County, Illinois Housing Market Prices
Mercer 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 62% below the Illinois median Cheaper than 72% of counties in Illinois$56,666
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Median rent 38% below the Illinois median$785
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Mercer County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $56,666 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 1.1% | 2.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $785 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.7% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Mercer County is about 62% lower than in Illinois. Rent is about 38% 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 Mercer County, up about 1.1% and 3.7% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Mercer County rose about 38.8% between 2015 and 2024, from $566 to $785. Over the same span, rent in Illinois rose about 40.4%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 0.8 yearly household incomes in Mercer County.
Buying the median-priced home in Mercer County costs roughly 6.0 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 Mercer County. The price-to-rent ratio in Illinois is about 9.8.
| Metric | Mercer County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $56,666 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $74,025 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 0.8 | 1.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Mercer County fell about 25.2%, while median household income rose about 33.0% 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 | Mercer County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 75.5% | 61.9% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 14.6% | 30.4% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 9.9% | 7.7% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 18.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2008 | 2010 | 2011 |
Mercer County has a homeownership rate of 75.5%, higher than the Illinois average of 61.9%. Its housing vacancy rate is 9.9%, compared with 7.7% in Illinois.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Mercer County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.36 people | 2.46 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1960 | 1969 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.3 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Mercer County was built around 1960. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 6.3 rooms, staying for about 18.0 years on average.
Mercer County, IL Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Mercer County, IL is the 3rd largest of the 4 counties compared here, 15,495 residents against a local median of 142,693. The measure that sets Mercer County, IL apart most is median home price: $56,666, 66% below the local median of $168,067.
Homeownership tells the same story from another angle: 83.8% against a local median of 70.0%, 20% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is homeownership, and at 20% above the local median it puts Mercer County, IL at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $101,915 on median home price, so Mercer County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mercer County, IL has the 4th highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County, IL | 15,495 | $56,666 #4/4 | $785 #3/4 | 83.8% #1/4 |
| Rock Island County, IL | 142,693 | $170,155 | $888 | 69.7% |
| Henderson County, IL | 6,193 | $68,240 | $764 | 81.1% |
| Scott County, IA | 174,608 | $168,067 | $1,005 | 70.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Mercer County, Illinois.
What is the median home price in Mercer County, Illinois?
The median home price in Mercer County, Illinois is $56,666, lower than the Illinois average of $149,936.
What is the average home price in Mercer County, Illinois?
The typical home price in Mercer County, Illinois, reported as the median sale price, is $56,666. 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 Mercer County, Illinois?
The median gross rent in Mercer County, Illinois is $785 per month, lower than the Illinois average of $1,274.
What was the median gross rent in Mercer County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Mercer County, Illinois was $687 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Mercer County, Illinois?
The price-to-rent ratio in Mercer County, Illinois is about 6.0, meaning it would take roughly 6.0 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 Mercer County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Mercer County, Illinois?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Mercer County, up about 1.1% and 3.7% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Mercer County, Illinois?
75.5% of households in Mercer County, Illinois own their home, higher than the Illinois average of 61.9%.
What is the vacancy rate in Mercer County, Illinois?
The housing vacancy rate in Mercer County, Illinois is 9.9%, higher than the Illinois average of 7.7%.
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