Illinois · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Pope County, IL

Prices around Pope County, IL run about the same as the U.S. average (BEA, Illinois). The typical household there earns $60,050 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,087 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $43,480 a year.

Pope County, IL at a glance

Median household income

$60,050$5,004 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,087HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)100.0+0% · BEA, Illinois
Electricity19.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential IL
Population3,739Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Pope 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$1,087Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$43,480To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,501At 30% of $60,050
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Pope County, IL, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$749$8,988$29,96015%
1-Bedroom Apartment$828$9,936$33,12016.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,087$13,044$43,48021.7%
3-Bedroom Home$1,375$16,500$55,00027.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,553$18,636$62,12031%

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

What a typical income covers in Pope County, IL

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $60,050 a year ($5,004 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,502/moRent ($1,087 2-BR), utilities (~$179/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,501/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,001/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $60,050 leaves after Illinois taxes

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

$60,050
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$60,050
Net 79%
Fed 8%
IL 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$47,602After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,967Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,831Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,026 / yr
Illinois state income tax$2,828 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,594 / yr

Living in Pope County, IL: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Pope County, IL is $60,050 per year (approximately $5,004 per month).

What is the average rent in Pope County, IL?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $749 for a studio, $828 for one bedroom, $1,087 for two, $1,375 for three and $1,553 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 Pope County, IL expensive to live in?

Prices there run about the same as the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Illinois is 100.0, 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 Pope County, IL?

To keep a $1,087 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $43,480 a year, or $3,623 a month. That is 72% of what the typical household in Pope County, IL earns.

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

On the local median income of $60,050 ($5,004 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,502 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,501 for everything else and $1,001 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,087 takes 43% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Pope 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.