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City · 17,999 residents · St. Clair County, Illinois

East St. Louis , Illinois

In East St. Louis, a typical home is worth $52,600 and typical rent is $847 a month. Compared with all of St. Clair County, the typical home value is 71% lower, typical household income is 52% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 8 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $52,600

    71% below the county

    80% below Illinois

    • East St. Louis
    • St. Clair
    • Illinois

  • Typical rent

    $847a month

    22% below the county

    34% below Illinois

    • East St. Louis
    • St. Clair
    • Illinois

  • Typical household income

    $35,700a year

    52% below the county

    57% below Illinois

    • East St. Louis
    • St. Clair
    • Illinois

  • Households that own their home

    61%

    8 points below the county

    6 points below Illinois

    • East St. Louis
    • St. Clair
    • Illinois

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$34,926
2.6% less than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

East St. Louis is in St. Clair County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of St. Clair County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets East St. Louis apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. East St. Louis has the lowest typical home value of the 336 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people: $52,600.

  2. East St. Louis has the 3rd lowest typical household income of the 337 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people ($35,700).

  3. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in East St. Louis fell 2.6%; in Illinois, it rose 5.3%.

  4. The typical rent in East St. Louis is $847 a month, 22% less than in St. Clair County as a whole ($1,090).

  5. East St. Louis has the 19th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 291 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people (63%).

  6. 18% of households in East St. Louis have no internet at home (7% in St. Clair County).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in East St. Louis

What homes there are in East St. Louis, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

As in St. Clair County, most homes in East St. Louis are detached houses (69%).

Year built

Homes in East St. Louis are older: the typical year built is 1956; in St. Clair County, 1975.

There are fewer big homes in East St. Louis than in St. Clair County: 48% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 62%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

About 83% of rented homes in East St. Louis cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for St. Clair County ($1,349).

With a mortgage

$1,099 a month

St. Clair County: $1,645 a month

Without a mortgage

$492 a month

St. Clair County: $645 a month

Owners with a mortgage

26%

St. Clair County: 59%

In East St. Louis, 26% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,099 a month, against $1,645 in St. Clair County. Without one it drops to $492.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in East St. Louis stayed about the same since 2015–2019: the Census sees no clear change.

Rents in East St. Louis rose faster than in St. Clair County: 75% since 2015–2019, against 27%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureEast St. LouisSt. Clair CountyIllinoisUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.7%5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.1%1.0%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.8%2.5%3.4%
People per household 2.562.472.462.53
Drive alone 69%75%66%69%
Carpool 16%8%8%9%
Public transit 3%2%6%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%3%3%
Work from home 8%12%16%15%
Other means 3%1%1%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in East St. Louis look like those in St. Clair County: 2.56 people on average.

Carpooling is common in East St. Louis: 16% of workers get to work that way, against 8% in St. Clair County.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in East St. Louis?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in East St. Louis, worth $52,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 17% of the typical household income in East St. Louis, which is $35,700 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of St. Clair County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in East St. Louis. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $1,841 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$494

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$51,647
Total interest
$74,308
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $888 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $833 a month

    Your payment · 17%

  • Tight

    $833 to $1,071 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,071 a month

Compared with the typical household income in East St. Louis ($35,700 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$494
Principal & interest$350
Property tax$99
Home insurance$22
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$23

You need at least $1,841 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

East St. Louis and St. Clair County

East St. Louis is in St. Clair County, Illinois. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

East St. Louis's own numbers

Typical home value
$52,600
Typical monthly rent
$847
Typical yearly household income
$35,700
Households that own their home
61%
Effective property tax rate
2.25%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of St. Clair County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,349
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+52%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of St. Clair County.

Everything about St. Clair County

Buying

Buying a home in East St. Louis

A typical home in East St. Louis is worth $52,600: 71% below the county and 80% below Illinois. With the typical household income in East St. Louis ($35,700 a year), a typical home costs 1.5 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • East St. Louis 1.5 years
  • St. Clair 2.4 years
  • Illinois 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in St. Clair County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in St. Clair County rose 69% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of St. Clair County.

Period County Illinois U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.3% +5.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +52% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +69% +65% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

East St. Louis next to St. Clair County, Illinois and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • East St. Louis $52,600
  • St. Clair $180,300
  • Illinois $263,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • East St. Louis $847
  • St. Clair $1,090
  • Illinois $1,274
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • East St. Louis $35,700
  • St. Clair $73,854
  • Illinois $83,390
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
East St. Louis next to St. Clair County and Illinois
Measure East St. Louis St. Clair County Illinois U.S.
Typical home value $52,600 $180,300 $263,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $847 $1,090 $1,274 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $35,700 $73,854 $83,390 $80,734
Households that own their home 61% 68% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,184 $3,665 $5,298 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.25% 2.03% 2.01% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 63% 48% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below St. Clair County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in East St. Louis

For a typical $52,600 home in East St. Louis, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, East St. Louis's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $494a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $1,841
    Cash to close
    $3,419
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $23

  • Conventional, 5% down $484a month

    Down payment
    $2,630
    Cash to close
    $4,208
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $25

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $406a month

    Down payment
    $10,520
    Cash to close
    $12,098
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $454a month

    Down payment
    $7,890
    Cash to close
    $9,468
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for East St. Louis and for St. Clair County.

Property tax

Effective rate in East St. Louis

2.25%of the home’s value each year

$1,184 a year for the typical owner in East St. Louis.

  • East St. Louis 2.25%
  • St. Clair 2.03%
  • Illinois 2.01%

What Illinois publishes General Homestead Exemption (Illinois Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Illinois

Flood risk in St. Clair County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of St. Clair County.

FEMA’s maps count no homes in the high-risk zone in St. Clair County. That does not mean it cannot flood: check your address.

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in East St. Louis

Typical rent in East St. Louis is $847 a month: 22% below the county. In East St. Louis, 63% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of St. Clair County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,349 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $25.94 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of St. Clair County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,064 $20.46 $42,560
1 bedroom $1,104 $21.23 $44,160
2 bedrooms $1,349 $25.94 $53,960
3 bedrooms $1,731 $33.29 $69,240
4 bedrooms $1,997 $38.40 $79,880

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in East St. Louis

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). East St. Louis has 3 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $990 in 62201 to $1,300 in 62205.

None is above the fair market rent for St. Clair County ($1,349).

  • 62201 $990$1,270
  • 62203 $1,230$1,580
  • 62205 $1,300$1,670

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for East St. Louis when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in East St. Louis

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in East St. Louis. These are the largest.

  • Jazz at Walter Circle East St Louis 62205 74 low-income homes · Run by The Housing Authority of City of East St. Louis · Average payment: $367 a month · Average wait: 6 months · Homes at several sites (618) 646-7176
  • New Salem Place 1200 Block of ST. Louis Avenue, East St Louis 62202 40 low-income homes · For older adults (618) 875-8670
  • Sinai Village 1200 Saint Louis Ave, East St Louis 62201 30 low-income homes · 3 bd: 21 · 4 bd: 9 · In service since 2011
  • ST. Lukes Ame Church Rehab 414 N 14th St, East St Louis 62201 12 low-income homes · For families (618) 466-4345

See all 54 buildings in St. Clair County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in East St. Louis

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in St. Clair County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A grandmother pushes her grandson on a playground swing.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in East St. Louis

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for East St. Louis or St. Clair County. The ones below are statewide in Illinois: they work in East St. Louis the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Illinois

  • IHDAccess Home

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with deferred payments for first-time buyers in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • IHDAccess Forgivable

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan forgiven little by little over ten years, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • IHDAccess Deferred

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near East St. Louis

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of East St. Louis, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Urban League of Metropolitan ST. Louis - ST. Clair County Operations

    10220 Lincoln Trail, Fairview Heights · 7 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 6 more
    618-274-1150-126

  • Madison County Urban League

    408 E Broadway Street, Alton · 19 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • and 5 more
    618-463-1906-222

  • Macoupin County Housing Authority

    760 Anderson Street, Carlinville · 48 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    217-854-8606-202

Every agency in St. Clair County All counseling agencies in Illinois

Help in Spanish near East St. Louis

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of East St. Louis

HUD’s record names them for East St. Louis or St. Clair County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • The Housing Authority of City of East St. Louis Public housing (618) 646-7176
  • St. Clair County Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (618) 277-6988

All housing agencies in Illinois Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in St. Clair County

These cities are also in St. Clair County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about St. Clair County Housing in Illinois

Nearby cities

The cities closest to East St. Louis, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If St. Clair County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in East St. Louis.

All guides
A father holds his baby and his young son by a white picket fence.

Questions

Housing questions about East St. Louis

Short answers with the numbers for East St. Louis and all of St. Clair County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in East St. Louis?

The typical home value in East St. Louis is $52,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in St. Clair County it is $180,300.

How much does it cost to rent in East St. Louis?

Typical rent in East St. Louis is $847 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in St. Clair County is $1,349.

What is the FHA loan limit in East St. Louis?

East St. Louis uses the FHA limit for all of St. Clair County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in East St. Louis?

The typical homeowner in East St. Louis pays $1,184 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.25% of the home’s value; in St. Clair County, the rate is 2.03%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in East St. Louis?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in St. Clair County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).