Is Boone County, IL good for real estate investing?

Boone County has an investment score of 75/100, rated as "Strong Buy". The county ranks #37 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Boone?

The rent-to-price ratio in Boone County is 8.30% annually, which ranks in the 93th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Boone?

The median home price in Boone County is $274,779. This ranks #608 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Boone?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Boone County would generate negative cash flow of $205/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Boone County

IllinoisPopulation: 53,459Rockford, IL Metro

/100

Strong Buy

#37 of 1,000 counties

#36 in Illinois (102 counties)

Market Snapshot

$274,779

Median Home Price

18% above national median

$1,900/mo

Median Rent

26% above national median

8.30%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 7% nationally

-$205

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$274,779

Down Payment (20%)$54,956

Loan Amount$219,823

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,900

Monthly P&I-$1,440

Est. Expenses (35%)-$665

Net Cash Flow-$205/mo

5.4%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-3.9%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.30%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.4% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

75/100

Cash Flow(30%)

83/100

Based on 8.30% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

89/100

Based on 5.9% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

79/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.4x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Above-average rent-to-price ratio (8.30%)
+Strong price appreciation (+5.9% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$205/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 5.4% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

53,459

Median Income

$80,502

vs $57,018 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.4x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
MonroeIL	76	$318,681	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
SangamonIL	76	$186,233	$1,129	7.28%	Strong Buy	View
CurrentBooneIL	75	$274,779	$1,900	8.30%	Strong Buy
PikeIL	75	$112,450	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
ShelbyIL	75	$156,256	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
WinnebagoIL	75	$195,413	$1,212	7.44%	Strong Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Strong BuyBoone is a strong buy market with excellent fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

Boone County in Illinois scores 75/100, ranking #37 of 1,000 US counties (top 5%). The 8.30% rent-to-price ratio exceeds the 1% rule target, suggesting strong cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-205/mo

Cap Rate

5.4%

Cash-on-Cash

-3.9%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Boone?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

Explore Other Markets

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$274,779

Down Payment (20%)$54,956

Loan Amount$219,823

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,900

Monthly P&I-$1,440

Est. Expenses (35%)-$665

Net Cash Flow-$205/mo

5.4%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-3.9%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.30%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.4% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

75/100

Cash Flow(30%)

83/100

Based on 8.30% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

89/100

Based on 5.9% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

79/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.4x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
MonroeIL	76	$318,681	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
SangamonIL	76	$186,233	$1,129	7.28%	Strong Buy	View
CurrentBooneIL	75	$274,779	$1,900	8.30%	Strong Buy
PikeIL	75	$112,450	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
ShelbyIL	75	$156,256	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
WinnebagoIL	75	$195,413	$1,212	7.44%	Strong Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Strong BuyBoone is a strong buy market with excellent fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

Boone County in Illinois scores 75/100, ranking #37 of 1,000 US counties (top 5%). The 8.30% rent-to-price ratio exceeds the 1% rule target, suggesting strong cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-205/mo

Cap Rate

5.4%

Cash-on-Cash

-3.9%