Is Macon County, IL good for real estate investing?

Macon County has an investment score of 83/100, rated as "Strong Buy". The county ranks #1 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Macon County is 9.46% annually, which ranks in the 97th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Macon?

The median home price in Macon County is $127,195. This ranks #88 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Macon?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Macon County would generate negative cash flow of $15/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Macon County

IllinoisPopulation: 103,542

/100

Strong Buy

#1 of 1,000 counties

#2 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

$127,195

Median Home Price

45% below national median

$1,003/mo

Median Rent

31% below national median

9.46%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 3% nationally

-$15

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,003/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	$95,396	+$152/mo	8.2%	+8.3%
Median typical MLS deal	$127,195	-$15/mo	6.2%	-0.6%
125% of median newer / premium	$158,994	-$182/mo	4.9%	-6.0%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$127,195

Down Payment (20%)$25,439

Loan Amount$101,756

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,003

Monthly P&I-$667

Est. Expenses (35%)-$351

Net Cash Flow-$15/mo

6.2%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-0.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

9.46%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 6.2% 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

83/100

Cash Flow(30%)

95/100

Based on 9.46% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

90/100

Based on 6.3% 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 (9.46%)
+Strong price appreciation (+6.3% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative leverage (cap rate 6.2% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

103,542

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
CurrentMaconIL	83	$127,195	$1,003	9.46%	Strong Buy
MassacIL	81	$112,844	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
MarshallIL	81	$131,595	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
VermilionIL	81	$93,310	$815	10.49%	Strong Buy	View
RichlandIL	80	$132,577	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
MenardIL	80	$198,736	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View

The Bottom Line

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

Macon County in Illinois scores 83/100, ranking #1 of 1,000 US counties (top 0%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental roughly breaks even on cash flow (9.46% gross rent-to-price ratio). The deal works on appreciation or with better terms, not on month-one cash flow.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-15/mo

Cap Rate

6.2%

Cash-on-Cash

-0.6%