Housing decision brief
Mason County, IL Housing Market
Mason County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
27th lowest home value out of 102 Illinois counties with data | 35th lowest rent out of 102
Median home value
$106,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$760/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$755/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$5/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$106,100 median home value is 16% below Illinois county median
Lower rent
$760/mo is 4% below Illinois county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $5/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$62,127 median income is 5% below Illinois county median
Tax rate needs attention
2.15% effective property-tax rate is 7% above Illinois county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Mason County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $106,100 | $126,000 | $281,900 | 16% favorable16% below Illinois county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $760 | $793 | $1,163 | Near state median4% below Illinois county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $755 | $853 | $1,672 | 11% favorable11% below Illinois county median |
Median household income | $62,127 | $65,189 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Illinois county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 2.15% | 2.00% | 1.02% | 7% pressure7% above Illinois county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 26.00% | N/A | Near state median26.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$31,727
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$29,770
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Mason County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $760/month , about 14.7% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Mason County pay $760/month on average, compared to $755/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 1%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $32,357/year. With a median household income of $62,127, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Mason County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Mason County sits 7% more expensive than Clay County ($709/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stark County, IL | $103,500 | $765/mo | Same-state comparison near $103,500 home value and $765/mo rent. |
| Richland County, IL | $106,600 | $754/mo | Same-state comparison near $106,600 home value and $754/mo rent. |
| Hancock County, IL | $108,400 | $755/mo | Same-state comparison near $108,400 home value and $755/mo rent. |
| Marion County, IL | $100,100 | $771/mo | Same-state comparison near $100,100 home value and $771/mo rent. |
| Montgomery County, IL | $102,200 | $715/mo | Same-state comparison near $102,200 home value and $715/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Mason County
Is Mason County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Mason County?
How much income do you need for housing in Mason County?
What should I double-check before moving to Mason County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.