How much house can I afford on $50,000 in Illinois?
About $156,000 with 20% down ($128,000 with an FHA loan), using Illinois's 1.92% property tax rate.
That is $140,021 less than the typical Illinois home ($295,943), so on $50,000 you'd look at cheaper areas or a smaller home. The payment of $1,167 covers $839 principal and interest, $250 property tax and $78 insurance.
Counties in Illinois you can afford on $50,000
48 of 102 counties have a typical home value at or below $156,000. The 25 priciest of them:
| County | Typical home | 1-yr change | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau County | $155,598 | +6.5% | 2.01% |
| Fayette County | $154,533 | +3.1% | 1.45% |
| Randolph County | $151,574 | +6.6% | 1.43% |
| Clark County | $151,351 | +10.6% | 1.56% |
| Union County | $150,664 | +0.2% | 1.3% |
| Jefferson County | $147,115 | +8.4% | 1.7% |
| Whiteside County | $146,857 | +3.5% | 2.04% |
| Coles County | $145,077 | +5.4% | 1.94% |
| Macoupin County | $144,350 | +2.3% | 1.5% |
| Marshall County | $143,851 | +8.1% | 1.94% |
| Logan County | $142,869 | +7.4% | 1.77% |
| Stark County | $142,649 | +8.8% | 1.69% |
| Richland County | $140,972 | +8.6% | 1.58% |
| Wabash County | $137,029 | +4.3% | 1.41% |
| Montgomery County | $136,570 | +6.1% | 1.68% |
| Crawford County | $136,455 | -5.0% | 1.49% |
| Morgan County | $136,343 | +3.6% | 1.76% |
| Christian County | $136,066 | +4.6% | 1.64% |
| Jackson County | $131,916 | +6.3% | 1.84% |
| Henderson County | $125,477 | +5.4% | 1.58% |
| Wayne County | $125,180 | +3.5% | 1.49% |
| Macon County | $124,658 | +4.2% | 2.12% |
| Marion County | $124,595 | +6.9% | 1.71% |
| Greene County | $123,704 | +3.6% | 1.74% |
| Fulton County | $121,016 | +5.4% | 2.14% |
Affordable metro areas
Assumes a 30-year fixed loan at 7.11%, property tax of 1.92% of the home value a year, homeowners insurance of 0.6% a year, PMI of 0.5% of the loan a year when the down payment is under 20%, and FHA mortgage insurance of 0.55% a year plus a 1.75% upfront premium added to the loan. Your rate, taxes and insurance will differ.
Other salaries in Illinois
Frequently asked questions
How much house can I afford on $50,000 in Illinois?
About $156,000 with 20% down at 7.11%, keeping the payment (with Illinois's 1.92% property tax and insurance) under $1,167 a month.
Is $50,000 enough to buy a house in Illinois?
Not the typical home: the typical Illinois home is worth $295,943 (Zillow, September 2026) and $50,000 supports about $156,000. 48 of 102 counties are within budget.