In Evanston, a typical home is worth $481,200 and typical rent is $1,762 a month. Compared with all of Cook County, the typical home value is 48% higher and typical rent is 23% higher.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $393,847 to $491,476.
Typical rent
$2,438a month
▲ 3.2% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $1,865 to $2,438.
From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Evanston is in Cook 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 Cook County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
The typical home in Evanston is worth $481,200,48% more than in Cook County as a whole ($324,500).
2
Nearby, in Skokie, the typical home value is $387,200: 20% less than in Evanston ($481,200).
3
The typical rent in Evanston is $1,762 a month, 23% more than in Cook County as a whole ($1,435).
4
According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Evanston rose 8.6%; in Illinois, it rose 5.3%.
5
The typical household income in Evanston is $96,434,15% more than in Cook County as a whole ($83,498).
6
Evanston has the 34th lowest homeownership rate of the 337 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people (56%).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data
The homes here
Housing in Evanston
What homes there are in Evanston, 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
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Evanston
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Kind of home: Evanston and its comparisons
Measure
Evanston
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Detached house
33%
40%
58%
61%
Attached house
5%
6%
6%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
13%
19%
12%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
49%
35%
22%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
1%
2%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
0%
Many people here live in apartments: 5 in 10 homes; in Cook County, 3.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or later
Evanston
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Year built: Evanston and its comparisons
Measure
Evanston
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Before 1960
59%
49%
38%
26%
1960–1979
18%
25%
26%
24%
1980–1999
9%
14%
20%
25%
2000–2009
7%
8%
11%
14%
2010 or later
8%
5%
6%
11%
In Evanston, half of the homes were built before 1953; in Cook County, before 1961.
There are fewer big homes in Evanston than in Cook County: 43% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 49%.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Under the limitOver the limit
Under $100K3%
$100K–$200K8%
$200K–$300K13%
$300K–$500K29%
$500K–$750K21%
FHA limit: $541,287
$750K–$1M16%
$1M or more11%
Value of owner-occupied homes: Evanston and its comparisons
Measure
Evanston
Under $100K
3%
$100K–$200K
8%
$200K–$300K
13%
$300K–$500K
29%
$500K–$750K
21%
$750K–$1M
16%
$1M or more
11%
With an FHA loan, the cap for Cook County is $541,287. About 56% of owner-occupied homes in Evanston are worth less than that.
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$9994%
$1,000–$1,49927%
$1,500–$1,99929%
$2,000–$2,49915%
$2,500–$2,9999%
$3,000 or more13%
Monthly rent with utilities: Evanston and its comparisons
Measure
Evanston
Under $500
Unreliable estimate
$500–$999
4%
$1,000–$1,499
27%
$1,500–$1,999
29%
$2,000–$2,499
15%
$2,500–$2,999
9%
$3,000 or more
13%
With a mortgage
$2,867 a month
Cook County: $2,270 a month
Without a mortgage
$1,200 a month
Cook County: $910 a month
Owners with a mortgage
61%
Cook County: 62%
Owning costs more in Evanston: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,867 a month; in Cook County, $2,270. Without one, $1,200.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Evanston+23%
Cook County+32%
Illinois+35%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Evanston+28%
Cook County+28%
Illinois+26%
United States+33%
Typical household income
Evanston+22%
Cook County+29%
Illinois+27%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Evanston and its comparisons
Measure
Evanston
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Typical home value
+23%
+32%
+35%
+53%
Typical rent
+28%
+28%
+26%
+33%
Typical household income
+22%
+29%
+27%
+29%
Homes in Evanston gained value more slowly than in Cook County: 23% since 2015–2019, against 32%.
Much as in Cook County, the typical rent in Evanston rose 28% since 2015–2019.
The typical household income in Evanston rose 22% over that time; home values changed +23% and rent +28%.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Evanston and its comparisons
Measure
Evanston
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Rental vacancy
4.3%
4.5%
5.0%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
1.1%
1.0%
0.9%
More than one person per room
2.3%
3.3%
2.5%
3.4%
People per household
2.17
2.43
2.46
2.53
Drive alone
41%
55%
66%
69%
Carpool
4%
8%
8%
9%
Public transit
12%
12%
6%
3%
Walk or bike
14%
5%
3%
3%
Work from home
29%
19%
16%
15%
Other means
2%
2%
1%
2%
Typical commute
20 to 29 minutes
30 to 39 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
In Evanston, the rental vacancy rate is 4.3%, about the same as in Cook County.
In Evanston, 2.3% of households live with more than one person per room, against 3.3% in Cook County.
On average, a household in Evanston has 2.17 people, fewer than in Cook County (2.43).
Many people here do not commute at all: 29% work from home; in Cook County, 19%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Evanston?
A typical home costs more than the typical income allows
We start with a typical home in Evanston, worth $481,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 54% of the typical household income in Evanston, which is $96,434 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $186,512 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Cook County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Evanston. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $16,842 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$4,352
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$472,484
Total interest
$679,794
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $8,126 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $2,250 a month
Tight
$2,250 to $2,893 a month
Hard
more than $2,893 a month
Your payment · 54%
Compared with the typical household income in Evanston ($96,434 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$3,201
Property tax
$738
Home insurance
$201
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$213
You need at least $16,842 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
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.
Total monthly payment $4,352; principal and interest $3,201.
The city and its county
Evanston and Cook County
Evanston is in Cook 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).
Evanston
Map of Cook County, Illinois, with Evanston marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Evanston
Cook County
Other cities with a page
Evanston's own numbers
Typical home value
$481,200
Typical monthly rent
$1,762
Typical yearly household income
$96,434
Households that own their home
56%
Effective property tax rate
1.84%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Cook County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,011
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+42%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%
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 Cook County.
A typical home in Evanston is worth $481,200: 48% above the county and 83% above Illinois. With the typical household income in Evanston ($96,434 a year), a typical home costs 5.0 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.
Evanston5.0 years
Cook3.9 years
Illinois3.2 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Cook County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Cook County rose 61% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Cook County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Cook County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +3.9% +3.9% 2016
2017: +3.2% +3.2% 2017
2018: +2.5% +2.5% 2018
2019: +2.7% +2.7% 2019
2020: +0.9% +0.9% 2020
2021: +7.2% +7.2% 2021
2022: +11.3% +11.3% 2022
2023: +5.7% +5.7% 2023
2024: +6.4% +6.4% 2024
2025: +5.5% +5.5% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Cook County, Illinois and the United States
Period
County
Illinois
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+5.5%
+5.7%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+42%
+47%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+61%
+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
Evanston next to Cook 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
Evanston$481,200
Cook$324,500
Illinois$263,300
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Evanston$1,762
Cook$1,435
Illinois$1,274
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Evanston$96,434
Cook$83,498
Illinois$83,390
United States$80,734
See the full table
Evanston next to Cook County and Illinois
Measure
Evanston
Cook County
Illinois
U.S.
Typical home value
$481,200 ▲48% above the county
$324,500
$263,300
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,762 ▲23% above the county
$1,435
$1,274
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$96,434 ▲15% above the county
$83,498
$83,390
$80,734
Households that own their home
56% ▼2 points below the county
58%
67%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$8,863 ▲43% above the county
$6,191
$5,298
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
1.84% ▼0.07 points below the county
1.91%
2.01%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
53% ▲4 points above the county
49%
48%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Cook 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 Evanston
For a typical $481,200 home in Evanston, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Evanston's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$4,352a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$16,842
Cash to close
$31,278
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $213
Conventional, 5% down$4,264a month
Down payment
$24,060
Cash to close
$38,496
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $229
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$3,546a month
Down payment
$96,240
Cash to close
$110,676
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$3,991a month
Down payment
$72,180
Cash to close
$86,616
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Evanston
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$4,352
$16,842
$472,484
7.18%
FHA MIP · $213
$31,278
580
Conventional, 5% down
$4,264
$24,060
$457,140
7.18%
PMI · $229
$38,496
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$3,546
$96,240
$384,960
7.18%
None
$110,676
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$3,991
$72,180
$409,020
8.18%
None
$86,616
Set by the lender
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.
Typical rent in Evanston is $1,762 a month: 23% above the county. In Evanston, 53% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Cook County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,011 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $38.67 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Cook County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$1,678
$32.27
$67,120
1 bedroom
$1,780
$34.23
$71,200
2 bedrooms
$2,011
$38.67
$80,440
3 bedrooms
$2,586
$49.73
$103,440
4 bedrooms
$2,954
$56.81
$118,160
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 Evanston
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Evanston has 3 ZIP codes with their own.
For 2 bedrooms it runs from $2,460 in 60202 to $2,630 in 60208.
3 of the 3 are above the fair market rent for Cook County ($2,011).
2-bedroom fair market rent in each of the 3 ZIP codes of Evanston, beside the one for Cook County. For 2 bedrooms it runs from $2,460 in 60202 to $2,630 in 60208. 3 of the 3 are above the fair market rent for Cook County ($2,011).
2-bedroom fair market rent in each ZIP code
Each line is one ZIP code: in color, those above the county's fair market rent; in gray, the rest.
County: $2,011
Lowest: $2,460 (60202)Highest: $2,630 (60208)
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Evanston, fiscal year 2027.
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 are 42 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Cook County; 19 say they serve in Spanish.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Evanston or Cook County. The ones below are statewide in Illinois: they work in Evanston the same as in the rest of the state.
IHDA second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance, for the down payment in Illinois.Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).
No legal help resource on our list is for Evanston or Cook County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Evanston and all of Cook 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 Evanston?
The typical home value in Evanston is $481,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Cook County it is $324,500.
How much does it cost to rent in Evanston?
Typical rent in Evanston is $1,762 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Cook County is $2,011.
What is the FHA loan limit in Evanston?
Evanston uses the FHA limit for all of Cook 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 Evanston?
The typical homeowner in Evanston pays $8,863 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.84% of the home’s value; in Cook County, the rate is 1.91%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Evanston?
There are 42 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Cook County. 19 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
