Real Estate Investing in McLean County, Illinois

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

21 ZIP codes • Population: 167,898

Should you buy in McLean County, IL? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (76/100)

Solid choice β€” values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

πŸ“ˆ For Investors
WEAK
2.8 / 5 (44/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 8.3% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in McLean County, IL?

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2.8/ 5

Investability

County-wide average

4.0/ 5

Appreciation

7.0% 5yr CAGR

5.0/ 5

Landlord Climate

Regulatory friendliness

Avg Investability β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…
Avg Home Value $239,798
Avg Monthly Rent $1,159
ZIP Codes 21

Investing in McLean County Real Estate

McLean County is one of those Illinois regions where numbers warn before they reward. 17 cities, 167,898 residents, and a rating that reflects material risk.

plainly McLean County's β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜†β˜† aggregate rating reflects thin investor metrics across the board β€” soft rent growth, soft appreciation, and structural headwinds worth taking seriously.

McLean County's population trends and income levels suggest a region where affordability is strained, constraining how aggressively rents can rise without hurting collections.

A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in McLean County, IL. Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Avg Home Value
$239,798
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,159
1% Rule
βœ— Below
Landlord Friendly (IL)
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…

πŸ“‰ Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Bloomington, IL metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
38%
Days Pending
0/2
26 days

View all metro crash risk rankings β†’

πŸŽ“ Colleges & Universities in McLean County

6 Colleges 27,608 Students 3,442 Off-Campus Renters
B
Illinois Wesleyan University
4-Year Private Β· 1,576 students
C+
Illinois State University
4-Year Public Β· 20,989 students
C
Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology
Vocational For-Profit Β· 77 students
C
Heartland Community College
2-Year Public Β· 4,795 students
πŸ“ ~3,442 students rent off-campus
C
Paul Mitchell the School-Normal
Vocational For-Profit Β· 79 students
C
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal
Vocational For-Profit Β· 92 students

Investor Insight: With 3,442 students living off-campus, McLean County has substantial rental demand from the college population β€” typically stable, lease-renewing tenants.

Cities in McLean County

ZIP Codes in McLean County, IL

61761 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Normal
Population 53,404
Avg Home $269,750
Avg Rent $1,267/mo
61704 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Bloomington
Population 36,938
Avg Home $332,466
Avg Rent $1,516/mo
61701 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Bloomington
Population 35,577
Avg Home $180,383
Avg Rent $1,149/mo
61705 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Bloomington
Population 12,973
Avg Home $391,613
Avg Rent $1,458/mo
61745 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Heyworth
Population 4,506
Avg Home $268,464
Avg Rent $1,170/mo
61752 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Le Roy
Population 4,404
Avg Home $216,732
Avg Rent $927/mo
61753 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Lexington
Population 3,087
Avg Home $239,615
Avg Rent $963/mo
61736 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Downs
Population 2,658
Avg Home $327,050
Avg Rent $1,233/mo
61748 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Hudson
Population 2,612
Avg Home $314,870
Avg Rent $882/mo
61732 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Danvers
Population 2,089
Avg Home $253,732
Avg Rent $1,305/mo
61744 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Gridley
Population 1,917
Avg Home $211,603
Avg Rent $882/mo
61728 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Colfax
Population 1,316
Avg Home $178,516
Avg Rent $954/mo
61776 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Bloomington
Population 1,208
Avg Home $275,976
Avg Rent $1,134/mo
61754 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
McLean
Population 1,158
Avg Home $191,109
Avg Rent $1,350/mo
61770 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Saybrook
Population 1,081
Avg Home $171,389
Avg Rent $1,044/mo
61774 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Stanford
Population 764
Avg Home $183,752
Avg Rent $1,278/mo
61722 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Arrowsmith
Population 612
Avg Home $202,854
Avg Rent $1,314/mo
61724 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Bellflower
Population 493
Avg Home $144,117
Avg Rent $900/mo
61737 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Ellsworth
Population 449
Avg Home $235,389
Avg Rent $1,152/mo
61730 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Cooksville
Population 431
Avg Home $194,235
Avg Rent $1,107/mo
61772 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Heyworth
Population 221
Avg Home $252,138
Avg Rent $1,359/mo

Screen every market in McLean County

Filter this county’s ZIPs by cap rate, vacancy, appreciation and 30+ more criteria, and export your shortlist to CSV — with the Investor plan ($19/mo). Add weekly alerts when these markets move with Investor Pro+.

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Frequently Asked Questions About McLean County

What is the investability score for, IL?

The 2.8/5 investability rating in, IL reflects its $240K prices and $1,159/mo rents. Investors generally consider it a solid option within IL.

How tight is the rental market in, IL?

, IL sees elevated vacancy, which is reasonable relative to the broader IL rental market.

What is the typical home price in, IL?

The median home value in, IL is roughly $240K. That puts it reasonable relative to the IL statewide average.

Is it easy to find good tenants in, IL?

Tenant quality in, IL ranks as solid. Landlords generally report reliable occupancy at market rents of $1,159/mo.

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