Is Carroll County, IL good for real estate investing?

Carroll County has an investment score of 73/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #88 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the median home price in Carroll?

The median home price in Carroll County is $165,801. This ranks #226 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Carroll?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Carroll County would generate positive cash flow of $0/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Carroll County

IllinoisPopulation: 15,594

/100

Buy

#88 of 1,000 counties

#48 in Illinois (102 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated July 28, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$165,801

Median Home Price

28% below national median

$10,018/mo

Est. Rent

Based on regional data

6.04%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Estimated from price data

+$0

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

73/100

Cash Flow(30%)

0/100

Rent data not available for cash flow calculation.

Appreciation(25%)

75/100

Based on 11.8% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

94/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Strong price appreciation (+11.8% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes

Challenges

-Negative leverage (cap rate 0.0% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-Limited rent data (estimates used)

Economic Indicators

Population

15,594

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average

Skip if

−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
LivingstonIL	74	$160,375	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CurrentCarrollIL	73	$165,801	Est. pending	—	Buy
WoodfordIL	72	$220,926	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
KankakeeIL	72	$211,066	$1,309	7.44%	Buy	View
WilliamsonIL	72	$152,606	$1,067	8.39%	Buy	View
MadisonIL	72	$187,237	$1,095	7.02%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

BuyCarroll offers solid investment potential with roughly break-even cash flow at typical financing.

Carroll County in Illinois scores 73/100, ranking #88 of 1,000 US counties (top 11%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental roughly breaks even on cash flow. The deal works on appreciation or with better terms, not on month-one cash flow.

Monthly Cash Flow

+$0/mo

Cap Rate

0.0%

Cash-on-Cash

0.0%