Mercer County, IL Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Mercer County, Illinois is about $155,500 (the 2026 median across 12 ZIP codes, at ~$82/sq ft) — 21% more affordable than the Illinois median and 46% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
How Mercer County compares
Mercer County is relatively affordable for housing nationally: its typical home costs $155,500 against $197,000 for Illinois and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $76,000 to $256,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | $155,500 | $82 |
| Illinois | $197,000 | $134 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Mercer County home prices by ZIP code
The 12 most valuable ZIP codes in Mercer County (of 12 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61281 Sherrard | $256,000 | $141 | +65% |
| 61279 Reynolds | $203,000 | $75 | +31% |
| 61231 Aledo | $177,000 | $104 | +14% |
| 61486 Viola | $173,000 | $79 | +11% |
| 61465 Windsor | $163,000 | $85 | +5% |
| 61260 Joy | $160,000 | $50 | +3% |
| 61412 Gerlaw | $151,000 | $94 | -3% |
| 61272 New Boston | $149,000 | $97 | -4% |
| 61263 Matherville | $142,000 | $118 | -9% |
| 61476 Seaton | $131,000 | $69 | -16% |
| 61442 Keithsburg | $90,000 | $62 | -42% |
| 61466 North Henderson | $76,000 | $40 | -51% |
Home value appreciation in Mercer County
Home prices in Mercer County have risen about 50% over the last 10 years (≈4.2% a year) and +56.7% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +4.2% — still rising. A home worth $155,500 today was worth roughly $103,529 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, Illinois is +64.6% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Mercer County
Run the numbers for Mercer County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Mercer County
To buy the typical $155,500 home in Mercer County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $42,000 a year (about $990 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $50,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $7,800 | $1,230/mo | $53,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $15,600 | $1,170/mo | $50,000/yr |
| 20% | $31,100 | $990/mo | $42,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Mercer County
At about $82 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Mercer County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 1830 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $200k | 2440 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $250k | 3050 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $300k | 3660 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to Illinois.
Estimate a specific home in Mercer County
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Mercer County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all Illinois cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.