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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

Sterling, IL Housing Affordability Index

Sterling, Illinois has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 149.6 (Highly Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 697th most affordable of 1,249 scored Illinois cities, compared with 102.2 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $108,700 home with 20% down, the Illinois average 30-year fixed rate of 7.31% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $597, or 12% of the city’s $57,350 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Sterling is updated every night from live Illinois mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

Sterling MBR-HAI 149.6 Highly Affordable
Rank in Illinois 697 of 1,249 1 = most affordable
Illinois 102.2 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.31% Illinois lenders
Median home value $108,700 U.S. Census Bureau

Sterling is 47.4 points above the Illinois score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Illinois index

View Sterling Mortgage Rates

What It Takes to Buy in Sterling

$597/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.31%
$25,600
Income Needed
To keep the payment at 28% of income
$57,350
Median Household Income
Illinois: $83,390
1.9x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Illinois: 3.2x
$797/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$2,806/yr
Median Property Tax
2.58% of median value
17.7%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
42.4%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for Sterling, Illinois. The rate is the Illinois average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.

Cite the Sterling Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Sterling, Illinois score: 149.6 (Highly Affordable), ranked 697 of 1,249 Illinois cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/illinois/sterling”