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City · 24,549 residents · Cook County, Illinois

Melrose Park , Illinois

In Melrose Park, a typical home is worth $275,800 and typical rent is $1,176 a month. Compared with all of Cook County, typical household income is 21% lower and typical rent is 18% lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $275,800

    15% below the county

    5% above Illinois

    • Melrose Park
    • Cook
    • Illinois

  • Typical rent

    $1,176a month

    18% below the county

    8% below Illinois

    • Melrose Park
    • Cook
    • Illinois

  • Typical household income

    $66,189a year

    21% below the county

    21% below Illinois

    • Melrose Park
    • Cook
    • Illinois

  • Households that own their home

    57%

    1 points below the county

    10 points below Illinois

    • Melrose Park
    • Cook
    • Illinois

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$321,643
6.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,475 a month

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

Melrose Park 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

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Melrose Park apart

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

  1. Nearby, in Maywood, the typical home value is $229,800: 17% less than in Melrose Park ($275,800).

  2. The typical household income in Melrose Park is $66,189, 21% less than in Cook County as a whole ($83,498).

  3. The typical rent in Melrose Park is $1,176 a month, 18% less than in Cook County as a whole ($1,435).

  4. The typical home in Melrose Park is worth $275,800, 15% less than in Cook County as a whole ($324,500).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Melrose Park

What homes there are in Melrose Park, 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

Homes in Melrose Park are varied: detached houses are the largest group (41%), about the same as in Cook County.

There are more mobile homes here than in Cook County: 7% of homes, against 1%.

Year built

In Melrose Park, half of the homes were built before 1956; in Cook County, before 1961.

In Melrose Park, 49% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, about the same as in Cook County.

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

With an FHA limit of $541,287, at least 99% of owner-occupied homes in Melrose Park sit below it: they are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$2,114 a month

Cook County: $2,270 a month

Without a mortgage

$919 a month

Cook County: $910 a month

Owners with a mortgage

53%

Cook County: 62%

Owning costs less in Melrose Park: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,114 a month; in Cook County, $2,270. Without one, $919.

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 Melrose Park rose 44% since 2015–2019, more than in Cook County (32%).

The typical rent in Melrose Park rose 18% over the same time; in Cook County, it rose 28%.

While home values in Melrose Park changed +44% and rent +18%, the typical household income rose 30%.

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

MeasureMelrose ParkCook CountyIllinoisUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.5%5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.1%1.0%0.9%
More than one person per room 6.3%3.3%2.5%3.4%
People per household 2.892.432.462.53
Drive alone 72%55%66%69%
Carpool 15%8%8%9%
Public transit 3%12%6%3%
Walk or bike 3%5%3%3%
Work from home 6%19%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More than one person per room: that is how 6.3% of households in Melrose Park live, more than in Cook County (3.3%).

More people live in each home here: 2.89 on average, against 2.43 in Cook County.

More people carpool to work in Melrose Park than in Cook County: 15% against 8%.

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 Melrose Park?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Melrose Park, worth $275,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 46% of the typical household income in Melrose Park, which is $66,189 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $109,165 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Melrose Park. 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 $9,653 (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

$2,547

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$270,805
Total interest
$389,624
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,658 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,544 a month

  • Tight

    $1,544 to $1,986 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,986 a month

    Your payment · 46%

Compared with the typical household income in Melrose Park ($66,189 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,547
Principal & interest$1,835
Property tax$476
Home insurance$115
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$122

You need at least $9,653 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

Melrose Park and Cook County

Melrose Park 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).

Melrose Park's own numbers

Typical home value
$275,800
Typical monthly rent
$1,176
Typical yearly household income
$66,189
Households that own their home
57%
Effective property tax rate
2.07%

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.

Everything about Cook County

Buying

Buying a home in Melrose Park

A typical home in Melrose Park is worth $275,800: 15% below the county and 5% above Illinois. With the typical household income in Melrose Park ($66,189 a year), a typical home costs 4.2 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.

  • Melrose Park 4.2 years
  • Cook 3.9 years
  • Illinois 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 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.

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

Melrose Park 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
  • Melrose Park $275,800
  • Cook $324,500
  • Illinois $263,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Melrose Park $1,176
  • Cook $1,435
  • Illinois $1,274
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Melrose Park $66,189
  • Cook $83,498
  • Illinois $83,390
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Melrose Park next to Cook County and Illinois
Measure Melrose Park Cook County Illinois U.S.
Typical home value $275,800 $324,500 $263,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,176 $1,435 $1,274 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $66,189 $83,498 $83,390 $80,734
Households that own their home 57% 58% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $5,717 $6,191 $5,298 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.07% 1.91% 2.01% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 43% 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 Melrose Park

For a typical $275,800 home in Melrose Park, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Melrose Park's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,547a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $9,653
    Cash to close
    $17,927
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $122

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,497a month

    Down payment
    $13,790
    Cash to close
    $22,064
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $131

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,085a month

    Down payment
    $55,160
    Cash to close
    $63,434
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,340a month

    Down payment
    $41,370
    Cash to close
    $49,644
    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 Melrose Park and for Cook County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Melrose Park

2.07%of the home’s value each year

$5,717 a year for the typical owner in Melrose Park.

  • Melrose Park 2.07%
  • Cook 1.91%
  • Illinois 2.01%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Illinois

Flood risk in Cook County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1%
12,558
Of those, with NFIP insurance
32%
County Illinois U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1% 1.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 32% 25% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Melrose Park

Typical rent in Melrose Park is $1,176 a month: 18% below the county. In Melrose Park, 43% 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.

HUD fair market rent for all of Cook 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 $1,678 $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 Melrose Park

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Melrose Park is in ZIP code 60160.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,640: $371 less than the fair market rent for Cook County ($2,011).

  • 60160 $1,640$2,110

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Melrose Park 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 Melrose Park

HUD lists one building with rents for lower incomes in Melrose Park.

  • Heritage House Apts 10315 W Palmer Ave, Melrose Park 60164 144 low-income homes · Studio: 54 · 1 bd: 90 · In service since 1995

See all 946 buildings in Cook County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Melrose Park

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.

A man listens closely, seated at a meeting table.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Melrose Park

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Melrose Park or Cook County. The ones below are statewide in Illinois: they work in Melrose Park 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 Melrose Park

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

  • Oak Park Regional Housing Center Aka West Cook Homeownership Center

    5934 W Lake St, Chicago · 5 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (773) 887-5187

  • Ceda - Cicero

    6141 West Roosevelt Road, Cicero · 5 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (312) 288-8010

  • Northwest Side Housing Center (NWSHC)

    5233 W Diversey Ave, Chicago · 6 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (773) 283-3888

Every agency in Cook County All counseling agencies in Illinois

Help in Spanish near Melrose Park

3 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 Melrose Park

HUD’s record names them for Melrose Park or Cook County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority Cook County Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (312) 542-4721

5 other authorities have an office in Cook County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Cook County

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

Everything about Cook County Housing in Illinois
See 84 more cities in Cook County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Melrose Park, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Cook 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 Melrose Park.

All guides
A father and mother walk their son by the hand down the sidewalk.

Questions

Housing questions about Melrose Park

Short answers with the numbers for Melrose Park 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 Melrose Park?

The typical home value in Melrose Park is $275,800, 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 Melrose Park?

Typical rent in Melrose Park is $1,176 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 Melrose Park?

Melrose Park 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 Melrose Park?

The typical homeowner in Melrose Park pays $5,717 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.07% of the home’s value; in Cook County, the rate is 1.91%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Melrose Park?

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.

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).