States › Illinois › East St. Louis

Is East St. Louis, IL expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 29 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$93747% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$38,502about $3,209/month · 56% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$52,60084% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all 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 $37,480 a year. That is $18 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 40 of 334 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

East St. Louis
$937
Jacksonville
$1,203
Cary
$1,366
Bourbonnais
$1,963
Palos Hills
$1,412
Lemont
$1,337
Franklin Park
$1,226

How much do households earn in East St. Louis?

Under $25k
32.1%
$25k–50k
25.3%
$50k–100k
22.6%
$100k–150k
5.9%
$150k+
1.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 7.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in East St. Louis

SizeEast St. LouisU.S. average
Studio$363$1,338
1 bedroom$494$1,324
2 bedrooms$998$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,140$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,531$2,098

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

How expensive is East St. Louis 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 East St. Louis, so the Illinois figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in East St. Louis

🏛️ Property tax$1,184a year · 2.25% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$227a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in East St. Louis

Commute to work23.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree15.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home60.7%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line32.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment17.3%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in East St. Louis?

Buying is cheaper month to month: about $572 a month less than renting.

Renting
$937
Owning
$365

Owning assumes a typical $52,600 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $5,260 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in East St. Louis, IL?

Renting in East St. Louis costs a median of about $937 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Illinois median is $1,517.

How much do I need to make to live in East St. Louis?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $37,480 a year, or $18 an hour at a full-time job.

Is East St. Louis cheap or expensive?

East St. Louis is rated OK: rent takes 29.2% of the typical household income of $38,502. It ranks 40th cheapest of 334 Illinois cities we track.

How much are property taxes in East St. Louis?

The median homeowner in East St. Louis pays $1,184 a year in property taxes, about 2.25% of the median home value.

Is East St. Louis 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 East St. Louis?

The median home value in East St. Louis is $52,600, about 1.4 times the typical yearly household income.

17,999 people live in East St. Louis. Numbers are typical (middle) values.