Is Knox County, IL good for real estate investing?

Knox County has an investment score of 78/100, rated as "Strong Buy". The county ranks #14 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Knox?

The rent-to-price ratio in Knox County is 8.53% annually, which ranks in the 93th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Knox?

The median home price in Knox County is $120,012. This ranks #70 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Knox?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Knox County would generate negative cash flow of $75/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Knox County

IllinoisPopulation: 49,751

/100

Strong Buy

#14 of 1,000 counties

#22 in Illinois (102 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated August 31, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$120,012

Median Home Price

48% below national median

$853/mo

Median Rent

41% below national median

8.53%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 7% nationally

-$75

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $853/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$90,009	+$82/mo	7.4%	+4.8%
Median typical MLS deal	$120,012	-$75/mo	5.5%	-3.3%
125% of median newer / premium	$150,015	-$232/mo	4.4%	-8.1%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$120,012

Down Payment (20%)$24,002

Loan Amount$96,010

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$853

Monthly P&I-$629

Est. Expenses (35%)-$299

Net Cash Flow-$75/mo

5.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-3.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.53%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.5% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

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Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

78/100

Cash Flow(30%)

85/100

Based on 8.53% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

79/100

Based on 15.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

100/100

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

+Above-average rent-to-price ratio (8.53%)
+Strong price appreciation (+15.0% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative leverage (cap rate 5.5% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

49,751

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
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up

Skip if

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

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
EdwardsIL	79	$124,765	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
PeoriaIL	79	$154,382	$1,168	9.08%	Strong Buy	View
CurrentKnoxIL	78	$120,012	$853	8.53%	Strong Buy
IroquoisIL	78	$149,561	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
BureauIL	78	$143,471	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
Saint ClairIL	77	$173,515	$1,220	8.44%	Strong Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Strong BuyKnox is a strong buy market with excellent fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

Knox County in Illinois scores 78/100, ranking #14 of 1,000 US counties (top 2%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental roughly breaks even on cash flow (8.53% gross rent-to-price ratio). The deal works on appreciation or with better terms, not on month-one cash flow.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-75/mo

Cap Rate

5.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-3.3%

Related markets

Markets like Knox with stronger cash flow

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Illinois →

Rent vs buy in Illinois cities

Rent vs buy in Chicago, ILMedian $314,517 · rent $2,113/mo Rent vs buy in Joliet, ILMedian $361,064 · rent $2,121/mo Rent vs buy in Rockford, ILMedian $195,413 · rent $1,212/mo Rent vs buy in Naperville, ILMedian $416,478 · rent $2,040/mo Rent vs buy in Springfield, ILMedian $186,233 · rent $1,129/mo All Illinois citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

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