Illinois · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Monroe County, IL

Prices around Monroe County, IL run 4.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $102,880 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,218 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $48,720 a year.

Monroe County, IL at a glance

Median household income

$102,880$8,573 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,218HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)95.1-4.9% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity19.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential IL
Population35,036Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Monroe 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$1,218Monthly market rent
Share of gross income14.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$48,720To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,572At 30% of $102,880
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Monroe County, IL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$955$11,460$38,20011.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$995$11,940$39,80011.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,218$14,616$48,72014.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,568$18,816$62,72018.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,812$21,744$72,48021.1%

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

What a typical income covers in Monroe County, IL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $102,880 a year ($8,573 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$4,287/moRent ($1,218 2-BR), utilities (~$179/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,572/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,715/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $102,880 leaves after Illinois taxes

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

$102,880
$40,000$210,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$102,880
Net 74%
Fed 13%
IL 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$76,258After all taxes
Monthly deposit$6,355Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,933Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate25.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$13,804 / yr
Illinois state income tax$4,948 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$7,870 / yr

Living in Monroe County, IL: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Monroe County, IL is $102,880 per year (approximately $8,573 per month).

What is the average rent in Monroe County, IL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $955 for a studio, $995 for one bedroom, $1,218 for two, $1,568 for three and $1,812 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 Monroe County, IL expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4.9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 95.1, 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 Monroe County, IL?

To keep a $1,218 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $48,720 a year, or $4,060 a month. That is 47% of what the typical household in Monroe County, IL earns.

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

On the local median income of $102,880 ($8,573 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $4,287 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,572 for everything else and $1,715 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,218 takes 28% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Monroe 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.