Housing decision brief
McHenry County, IL Housing Market
McHenry County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
96th lowest home value out of 102 Illinois counties with data | 96th lowest rent out of 102
Median home value
$286,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,358/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,724/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$366/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
No signal
No strong positive housing signal was available in the current dataset.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
2.49% effective property-tax rate is 25% above Illinois county median
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
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 McHenry 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. | $286,900 | $126,000 | $281,900 | 128% pressure128% above Illinois county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,358 | $793 | $1,163 | 71% pressure71% above Illinois county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,724 | $853 | $1,672 | 102% pressure102% above Illinois county median |
Median household income | $102,836 | $65,189 | $74,755 | 58% favorable58% above Illinois county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 2.49% | 2.00% | 1.02% | 25% pressure25% above Illinois county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 15% pressure30.00% 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
+$48,516
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$28,950
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
McHenry County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $1,358/month representing approximately 15.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 30.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in McHenry County is $1,358/month, while owner costs run $1,724/month. Renting saves approximately $366/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $54,320/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $73,886/year. With a median household income of $102,836, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in McHenry County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
McHenry County sits 4% less expensive than Will County ($1,413/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kane County, IL | $303,000 | $1,404/mo | Same-state comparison near $303,000 home value and $1,404/mo rent. |
| Will County, IL | $298,000 | $1,413/mo | Same-state comparison near $298,000 home value and $1,413/mo rent. |
| Lake County, IL | $326,600 | $1,434/mo | Same-state comparison near $326,600 home value and $1,434/mo rent. |
| Cook County, IL | $305,200 | $1,381/mo | Same-state comparison near $305,200 home value and $1,381/mo rent. |
| Kendall County, IL | $298,900 | $1,763/mo | Same-state comparison near $298,900 home value and $1,763/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for McHenry County
Is McHenry County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in McHenry County?
How much income do you need for housing in McHenry County?
What should I double-check before moving to McHenry County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.