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 #0 nationally among 0 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Macon County is 10.19% annually, which ranks in the 50th 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 $124,658. This ranks #0 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 positive cash flow of $34/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Macon, IL Real Estate Investing (2026)

Scenario comparison

Same $1,059/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	$93,493	+$198/mo	8.8%	+11.1%
Median typical MLS deal	$124,658	+$34/mo	6.6%	+1.4%
125% of median newer / premium	$155,822	-$129/mo	5.3%	-4.3%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$124,658

Down Payment (20%)$24,932

Loan Amount$99,726

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,059

Monthly P&I-$653

Est. Expenses (35%)-$371

Net Cash Flow+$34/mo

6.6%

Cap Rate (all cash)

1.4%

Cash-on-Cash Return

10.19%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 6.6% 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%)

100/100

Based on 10.19% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

84/100

Based on 4.2% 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

+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative leverage (cap rate 6.6% < 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

+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	$124,658	$1,059	10.19%	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

Section 8 in Macon County: payment standards by ZIP, PHA waitlist status, and voucher counts are on VoucherMatch, the same HUD dataset with the tenant demand side attached.

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 #0 of 0 US counties (top 50%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental roughly breaks even on cash flow (10.19% gross rent-to-price ratio). The deal works on appreciation or with better terms, not on month-one cash flow.

Monthly Cash Flow

+$34/mo

Cap Rate

6.6%

Cash-on-Cash

1.4%

Related markets

Markets like Macon with stronger cash flow

Vermilion County for cash-flow rentals

Cheaper alternatives to Macon

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Illinois →

Average rent by city in Macon County

Average rent in Decatur$1,057/mo

Typical asking rent across each city's ZIP codes (Zillow Observed Rent Index). Open a city for rent by ZIP and bedroom count.

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

Macon County

Market Snapshot

Scenario comparison

Price History

Quick Investment Calculator

Purchase

Monthly Cash Flow

Score Breakdown

Investment Outlook

Strengths

Challenges

Economic Indicators

Who this market fits

Compare to Nearby Counties

The Bottom Line

Related markets

Markets like Macon with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Macon

Head-to-head comparisons

Average rent by city in Macon County

Rent vs buy in Illinois cities

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Macon?