Illinois · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Menard County, IL

Prices around Menard County, IL run 7.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $82,176 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,203 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $48,120 a year.

Menard County, IL at a glance

Median household income

$82,176$6,848 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,203HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.7-7.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity19.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential IL
Population12,095Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Menard County, 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$1,203Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.6%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$48,120To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,054At 30% of $82,176
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Menard County, IL? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Menard County, IL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$829$9,948$33,16012.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$970$11,640$38,80014.2%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,203$14,436$48,12017.6%
3-Bedroom Home$1,611$19,332$64,44023.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,682$20,184$67,28024.6%

Rent in Menard County, IL, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Menard County, IL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $82,176 a year ($6,848 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,424/moRent ($1,203 2-BR), utilities (~$179/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,054/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,370/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $82,176 leaves after Illinois taxes

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

$82,176
$30,000$165,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$82,176
Net 76%
Fed 11%
IL 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$62,718After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,226Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,412Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$9,249 / yr
Illinois state income tax$3,923 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,286 / yr

Living in Menard County, IL: common questions

What is the median household income in Menard County, IL?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Menard County, IL is $82,176 per year (approximately $6,848 per month).

What is the average rent in Menard County, IL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $829 for a studio, $970 for one bedroom, $1,203 for two, $1,611 for three and $1,682 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 Menard County, IL expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 92.7, 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 Menard County, IL?

To keep a $1,203 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $48,120 a year, or $4,010 a month. That is 59% of what the typical household in Menard County, IL earns.

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

On the local median income of $82,176 ($6,848 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,424 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,054 for everything else and $1,370 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,203 takes 35% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Menard County, 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.