Metropolitan Area

Decatur, IL

Illinois0
80
/100
Strong Buy
#18 of 894 metros
Top 2% nationally for investing

Market Snapshot

$126,931
Median Home Price
50% below national median
$928/mo
Median Rent
33% below national median
8.77%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Top 5% nationally
-$62
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Home values and rents: available snapshot

Only one observation is stored for Decatur, IL. A historical trend cannot be calculated from this snapshot.

Typical home value (ZHVI)
$126,931
Source period: 2026-05-31
Monthly rent index (ZORI)
$928
Source period: 2026-05-31

Stored snapshot: 2026-06-29. Source dates describe the underlying observations, not today’s market.

Quick Investment Calculator

20%
5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$126,931
Down Payment (20%)$25,386
Loan Amount$101,545
Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$928
Monthly P&I-$665
Est. Expenses (35%)-$325
Net Cash Flow-$63/mo
5.7%
Cap Rate (all cash)
-2.6%
Cash-on-Cash Return
8.77%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.7% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on metro-wide median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Individual counties and properties vary significantly.

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
80/100
80
Cash Flow(30%)
88/100

Based on 8.77% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)
85/100

Based on 8.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)
50/100

Based on 0.0% population growth. Growing areas indicate economic stability.

Affordability(20%)
100/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow metro-level home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. This metro score represents area-wide averages; individual counties may vary significantly.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

  • +Above-average rent-to-price ratio (8.77%)
  • +Strong price appreciation (+8.0% YoY)
  • +Affordable relative to local incomes
  • +Low unemployment (0.0%)

Challenges

  • -Negative leverage (cap rate 5.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Counties in Decatur, IL

County data is being compiled for this metro area.

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

Compare to Similar Metros

Metro AreaVerdict
Coffeyville, KS
Coffeyville, KS
85$101,366$86210.20%Strong BuyView
Roanoke Rapids, NC
Roanoke Rapids, NC
84$107,523$1,07712.02%Strong BuyView
Blytheville, AR
Blytheville, AR
84$115,156$1,06411.08%Strong BuyView
Enid, OK
Enid, OK
83$144,157$1,25010.40%Strong BuyView
Houghton, MI
Houghton, MI
83$194,696$1,73310.68%Strong BuyView
Current
Decatur, IL
80$126,931$9288.77%Strong Buy

The Bottom Line

Strong BuyDecatur, IL is a strong buy market with excellent fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

The Decatur, IL metro area scores 80/100, ranking #18 of 894 US metros (top 2%). The 8.77% rent-to-price ratio falls below the 1% monthly rent rule (12% annually). Check operating costs and financing before making an offer.

Monthly Cash Flow
$-62/mo
Cap Rate
5.7%
Cash-on-Cash
-2.9%

Ready to Invest in Decatur, IL?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties, or explore individual counties for more targeted opportunities.