Illinois · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Decatur, IL

Prices around Decatur, IL run 11.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $51,592 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,063 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $42,520 a year.

Decatur, IL at a glance

Median household income

$51,592$4,299 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,063HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.4-11.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity19.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential IL
Population69,815Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Decatur, IL?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,063Monthly market rent
Share of gross income24.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$42,520To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,290At 30% of $51,592
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Decatur, IL? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Decatur, IL MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Decatur, IL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$840$10,080$33,60019.5%
1-Bedroom Apartment$845$10,140$33,80019.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,063$12,756$42,52024.7%
3-Bedroom Home$1,378$16,536$55,12032.1%
4-Bedroom Home$1,706$20,472$68,24039.7%

Rent in Decatur, IL, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Decatur, IL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $51,592 a year ($4,299 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,150/moRent ($1,063 2-BR), utilities (~$179/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,290/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$860/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $51,592 leaves after Illinois taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Illinois tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$51,592
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$51,592
Net 80%
Fed 8%
IL 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$41,225After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,435Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,586Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,011 / yr
Illinois state income tax$2,409 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,947 / yr

Living in Decatur, IL: common questions

What is the median household income in Decatur, IL?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Decatur, IL is $51,592 per year (approximately $4,299 per month).

What is the average rent in Decatur, IL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $840 for a studio, $845 for one bedroom, $1,063 for two, $1,378 for three and $1,706 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Decatur, IL expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.6% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 88.4, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Decatur, IL?

To keep a $1,063 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $42,520 a year, or $3,543 a month. That is 82% of what the typical household in Decatur, IL earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Decatur, IL?

On the local median income of $51,592 ($4,299 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,150 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,290 for everything else and $860 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,063 takes 49% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Decatur, IL?

Homes in Illinois paid 19.9¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $179. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.