What income do you need to buy a house in Chicago, IL?
It takes about $111,000/yr to afford the typical Chicago, IL home ($334K, +5.6% past year) at today's rates. Starter homes run around $198K. See if you can afford a house in Chicago (2026 data) — free, no signup.
Market snapshot (2026-09)
- Income needed to buy the typical home: about $111,000/yr (28% front-end ratio, 20% down, 7.24% 30-yr fixed, IL property tax and insurance)
- Typical home value: $334K (Zillow ZHVI, 2026-09)
- 1-year change: +5.6%
- Bottom 35% of homes: $198K
- Top 35% of homes start around: $621K
- Typical rent: $2,311/mo
- Median household income: $78K
- Price-to-income ratio: 4.3
- Estimated payment on the typical home: $1,822/mo principal & interest (20% down, 7.24% 30-yr fixed)
Nearby housing markets
The most affordable cities to buy a house in Illinois
Home values are Zillow Group public data (ZHVI, updated monthly); income and population are US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates. Estimates only — not financial advice.
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