States › Illinois › Blue Island

Is Blue Island, IL expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,09338% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$64,159about $5,347/month · 26% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$178,70046% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 82% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $43,720 a year. That is $21 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Illinois cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Illinois. It is number 71 of 334 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Blue Island
$1,093
Darien
$2,776
Montgomery
$2,101
Carbondale
$871
Geneva
$1,955
East Peoria
$913
Park Forest
$1,510

How much do households earn in Blue Island?

Under $25k
18.0%
$25k–50k
22.2%
$50k–100k
34.8%
$100k–150k
10.9%
$150k+
4.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 15.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Blue Island

SizeBlue IslandU.S. average
1 bedroom$1,051$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,228$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,455$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Blue Island overall?

Everyday prices in Illinois overall are same as the U.S. average (index 100.0, U.S. = 100).

Housing
94
Goods (food, clothes…)
104
Utilities
85
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Blue Island, so the Illinois figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Blue Island

🏛️ Property tax$4,550a year · 2.55% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$108a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Blue Island

Commute to work29 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree20.7%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home51.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line17.1%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment15.5%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Blue Island?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $147 a month less.

Renting
$1,093
Owning
$1,240

Owning assumes a typical $178,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $17,870 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Blue Island, IL?

Renting in Blue Island costs a median of about $1,093 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Illinois median is $1,517.

How much do I need to make to live in Blue Island?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $43,720 a year, or $21 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Blue Island cheap or expensive?

Blue Island is rated OK: rent takes 20.4% of the typical household income of $64,159. It ranks 71st cheapest of 334 Illinois cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Blue Island?

The median homeowner in Blue Island pays $4,550 a year in property taxes, about 2.55% of the median home value.

Is Blue Island more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Illinois are same as the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Blue Island?

The median home value in Blue Island is $178,700, about 2.8 times the typical yearly household income.

21,741 people live in Blue Island. Numbers are typical (middle) values.