Department of Numbers

Macon County Illinois Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Macon County IL was $668 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Macon County was $667 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Macon County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Macon County rental vacancy rates, Macon County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Macon County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Macon County Illinois (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Illinois Median Gross Rent $1,020 +0.69% +2.51%
Macon County IL Median Gross Rent $668 -8.74% -2.05%

Macon County IL Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Macon County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $732 and is now $64 (8.74%) lower. Average gross rent for Macon County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $782 and is now $115 (14.71%) lower.

Real Gross Rent: Macon County IL Median, Macon County IL Average, Illinois Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Macon County

Date US
Median
Illinois
Median
Macon County IL
Median
Macon County IL
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,020 $668 $667
2018 $1,077 $1,013 $732 $782
2017 $1,043 $1,004 $691 $660
2016 $1,027 $995 $682 $709
2015 $1,017 $993 $668 $695
2014 $986 $955 $647 $633
2013 $953 $932 $682 $710
2012 $940 $923 $698 $630
2011 $941 $928 $725 $734
2010 $955 $948 $691 $725
2009 $960 $944 $667 $692

more history ...

Macon County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Macon County Illinois was 15.37% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Macon County Illinois

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Illinois 5.65% -0.67% -0.36%
Macon County IL 15.37% +10.38% +9.64%

Trends in Macon County IL Rental Vacancy Rate

At 15.37%, Macon County residential rental vacancy rate in 2019 is at the highest point since 2005, the beginning of our reporting for this series.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Macon County IL, Illinois, US

Rental vacancy rate in Illinois

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Macon County

Date US Illinois Macon County IL
2019 5.97% 5.65% 15.37%
2018 6.15% 6.32% 4.99%
2017 6.18% 7.02% 11.24%
2016 5.89% 6.01% 5.73%
2015 5.85% 6.21% 4.55%
2014 6.32% 6.53% 9.16%
2013 6.49% 6.16% 7.68%
2012 6.77% 6.39%
2011 7.40% 7.35% 10.37%
2010 8.17% 7.66% 6.02%
2009 8.43% 7.84%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Macon County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Macon County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 15.77% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Macon County Illinois Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Illinois 17.69% -0.67% -1.01%
Macon County IL 15.77% -1.47% -1.14%

Trends in Macon County IL Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Macon County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2011 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 18.13%. Since then it has fallen by 2.36% to 15.77%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Macon County IL, Illinois, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Macon County Illinois

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Macon County Illinois

Date US Illinois Macon County IL
2019 20.03% 17.69% 15.77%
2018 20.50% 18.36% 17.23%
2017 20.13% 18.55% 15.47%
2016 20.43% 18.70% 16.91%
2015 20.63% 18.85% 15.74%
2014 20.89% 18.91% 15.46%
2013 20.78% 18.89% 16.92%
2012 20.65% 18.89% 17.68%
2011 20.70% 19.36% 18.13%
2010 20.50% 19.21% 18.12%
2009 20.12% 18.41% 15.92%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Macon County Illinois

You can calculate the renter fraction in Macon County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Macon County as a fraction of total Macon County households. In 2019 31.71% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Macon County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Illinois 33.99% -0.02% -0.75%
Macon County IL 31.71% -1.06% -1.27%

Trends in the Macon County IL Renter Fraction

The Macon County household renter fraction peaked in in 2016 at 32.98% and is now 1.27% below that level. From a recent low of 26.89% in 2017, the household based renter fraction has now grown by 4.82%. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Macon County IL, Illinois, US

Fraction of renters in Macon County

History of Macon County Renter Fraction

Date US Illinois Macon County IL
2019 35.89% 33.99% 31.71%
2018 36.05% 34.01% 32.77%
2017 36.13% 33.82% 26.89%
2016 36.88% 34.74% 32.98%
2015 36.97% 34.72% 32.50%
2014 36.90% 34.51% 28.80%
2013 36.50% 34.06% 28.75%
2012 36.09% 33.40% 32.16%
2011 35.42% 32.65% 32.77%
2010 34.65% 32.27% 32.34%
2009 34.13% 32.00% 30.96%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.