Homesteading in Illinois
Explore 102 counties and state-level regulations for homesteaders in Illinois.
Illinois uses a Riparian water rights system , allows county-level building code enforcement , and requires a carry permit. The effective property tax rate is 1.97%.
State Regulations
Water Rights
System: Riparian
Follows riparian doctrine. Lake Michigan allocations regulated by the Illinois DNR under the Great Lakes Compact. Groundwater generally unregulated except in certain protection areas.
Statute: 615 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/18.3; 525 Ill. Comp. Stat. 45/5
Building Codes
Statewide IRC: No (county-level)
No mandatory statewide residential building code. Municipalities and counties adopt codes locally under home rule authority.
Statute: 65 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/1-2-1
Gun Laws
Open Carry: No
Constitutional Carry: No
Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID) required for purchase and possession. Concealed carry license required. Open carry prohibited. Assault weapons ban effective 2023.
Statute: 430 Ill. Comp. Stat. 65/2; 430 Ill. Comp. Stat. 66/10
Right to Farm
Protected: Yes
Protects farms from nuisance suits if the operation has been in existence for at least one year and was not a nuisance when it began. Covers livestock management facilities.
Statute: 740 Ill. Comp. Stat. 70/1 et seq.
Counties in Illinois
102 counties · Click column headers to sort
| County | Population | Median Home | Property Tax | Growing Days | Overall Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 65,583 | $151,300 | $2,422 | 80 | Relatively Low |
| Alexander County | 5,261 | $58,600 | $981 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Bond County | 16,750 | $130,300 | $2,611 | 85 | Very Low |
| Boone County | 53,459 | $181,700 | $4,245 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Brown County | 6,334 | $122,100 | $1,876 | 80 | Very Low |
| Bureau County | 33,203 | $120,200 | $2,503 | 74 | Relatively Low |
| Calhoun County | 4,472 | $160,900 | $2,531 | 84 | Very Low |
| Carroll County | 15,594 | $109,900 | $2,241 | 72 | Very Low |
| Cass County | 12,955 | $92,000 | $1,861 | 80 | Very Low |
| Champaign County | 206,525 | $192,600 | $4,149 | 79 | Relatively Moderate |
| Christian County | 33,893 | $108,800 | $1,898 | 82 | Relatively Low |
| Clark County | 15,467 | $112,400 | $1,858 | 83 | Very Low |
| Clay County | 13,248 | $103,600 | $1,629 | 86 | Very Low |
| Clinton County | 36,998 | $171,500 | $3,360 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Coles County | 47,076 | $114,000 | $2,356 | 82 | Relatively Low |
| Cook County | 5,225,367 | $293,700 | $5,941 | 73 | Very High |
| Crawford County | 18,729 | $108,200 | $1,690 | 84 | Very Low |
| Cumberland County | 10,447 | $116,000 | $2,163 | 83 | Very Low |
| DeKalb County | 100,686 | $218,600 | $5,732 | 73 | Relatively Low |
| De Witt County | 15,535 | $121,100 | $2,218 | 79 | Very Low |
| Douglas County | 19,714 | $137,100 | $2,538 | 81 | Relatively Low |
| DuPage County | 930,559 | $361,700 | $7,646 | 73 | Relatively High |
| Edgar County | 16,852 | $94,100 | $1,539 | 81 | Very Low |
| Edwards County | 6,182 | $92,700 | $1,350 | 87 | Very Low |
| Effingham County | 34,594 | $166,500 | $2,673 | 84 | Relatively Low |
| Fayette County | 21,464 | $111,500 | $1,706 | 84 | Relatively Low |
| Ford County | 13,484 | $113,400 | $2,458 | 77 | Very Low |
| Franklin County | 37,810 | $87,500 | $1,320 | 89 | Relatively Low |
| Fulton County | 33,691 | $99,800 | $2,125 | 78 | Relatively Low |
| Gallatin County | 4,967 | $81,000 | $1,123 | 90 | Very Low |
| Greene County | 12,015 | $92,400 | $1,465 | 83 | Very Low |
| Grundy County | 52,624 | $245,400 | $4,953 | 75 | Relatively Low |
| Hamilton County | 8,008 | $100,300 | $1,352 | 89 | Very Low |
| Hancock County | 17,582 | $104,200 | $1,922 | 78 | Very Low |
| Hardin County | 3,665 | $90,600 | $1,049 | 92 | Very Low |
| Henderson County | 6,374 | $99,800 | $1,728 | 77 | Very Low |
| Henry County | 49,157 | $138,900 | $2,838 | 75 | Relatively Low |
| Iroquois County | 27,043 | $120,900 | $2,434 | 77 | Relatively Low |
| Jackson County | 53,176 | $123,400 | $2,391 | 90 | Relatively Moderate |
| Jasper County | 9,295 | $117,900 | $2,124 | 84 | Very Low |
| Jefferson County | 37,043 | $115,000 | $1,978 | 88 | Relatively Low |
| Jersey County | 21,462 | $161,800 | $2,748 | 84 | Very Low |
| Jo Daviess County | 21,942 | $179,300 | $3,370 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Johnson County | 13,313 | $141,200 | $1,871 | 92 | Relatively Low |
| Kane County | 517,254 | $290,100 | $7,155 | 73 | Relatively High |
| Kankakee County | 107,421 | $176,800 | $4,055 | 75 | Relatively Moderate |
| Kendall County | 132,795 | $288,100 | $7,460 | 74 | Relatively Low |
| Knox County | 49,751 | $96,800 | $1,914 | 76 | Relatively Low |
| Lake County | 713,159 | $313,700 | $8,609 | 72 | Relatively High |
| LaSalle County | 109,495 | $147,400 | $3,260 | 75 | Relatively Moderate |
| Lawrence County | 15,302 | $93,900 | $1,126 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Lee County | 34,221 | $147,100 | $2,872 | 73 | Relatively Low |
| Livingston County | 35,771 | $128,100 | $2,787 | 76 | Relatively Low |
| Logan County | 28,027 | $118,200 | $2,234 | 79 | Relatively Low |
| McDonough County | 27,370 | $100,400 | $2,135 | 78 | Very Low |
| McHenry County | 311,133 | $270,600 | $7,068 | 71 | Relatively Moderate |
| McLean County | 171,284 | $191,300 | $4,411 | 78 | Relatively Moderate |
| Macon County | 103,542 | $119,800 | $2,522 | 80 | Relatively Moderate |
| Macoupin County | 44,907 | $121,300 | $1,928 | 83 | Relatively Low |
| Madison County | 265,512 | $159,400 | $3,117 | 85 | Relatively Moderate |
| Marion County | 37,543 | $96,200 | $1,667 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Marshall County | 11,740 | $124,600 | $2,576 | 76 | Very Low |
| Mason County | 13,074 | $97,000 | $2,215 | 79 | Relatively Low |
| Massac County | 14,135 | $115,200 | $1,726 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Menard County | 12,284 | $177,100 | $2,957 | 80 | Very Low |
| Mercer County | 15,692 | $131,000 | $2,579 | 75 | Very Low |
| Monroe County | 34,905 | $254,100 | $4,494 | 88 | Very Low |
| Montgomery County | 28,352 | $102,000 | $1,745 | 83 | Relatively Low |
| Morgan County | 32,882 | $122,000 | $2,381 | 81 | Relatively Low |
| Moultrie County | 14,531 | $116,400 | $2,293 | 81 | Relatively Low |
| Ogle County | 51,672 | $172,900 | $3,593 | 72 | Relatively Low |
| Peoria County | 181,186 | $150,400 | $3,487 | 77 | Relatively Moderate |
| Perry County | 20,996 | $102,000 | $1,734 | 89 | Relatively Low |
| Piatt County | 16,698 | $168,300 | $3,025 | 80 | Very Low |
| Pike County | 14,776 | $97,000 | $1,566 | 81 | Very Low |
| Pope County | 3,799 | $137,500 | $1,759 | 92 | Very Low |
| Pulaski County | 5,177 | $81,600 | $694 | 93 | Relatively Low |
| Putnam County | 5,628 | $161,500 | $2,625 | 75 | Very Low |
| Randolph County | 30,413 | $129,400 | $1,786 | 89 | Relatively Low |
| Richland County | 15,716 | $106,400 | $1,769 | 86 | Relatively Low |
| Rock Island County | 143,819 | $139,800 | $3,308 | 74 | Relatively Moderate |
| St. Clair County | 256,791 | $158,500 | $3,444 | 87 | Relatively High |
| Saline County | 23,662 | $87,900 | $1,405 | 90 | Relatively Low |
| Sangamon County | 196,122 | $162,400 | $3,258 | 81 | Relatively Moderate |
| Schuyler County | 6,879 | $100,500 | $1,805 | 79 | Very Low |
| Scott County | 4,899 | $95,000 | $1,463 | 81 | Very Low |
| Shelby County | 21,042 | $125,200 | $1,948 | 82 | Relatively Low |
| Stark County | 5,395 | $95,900 | $1,754 | 76 | Very Low |
| Stephenson County | 44,482 | $122,000 | $3,047 | 71 | Relatively Low |
| Tazewell County | 131,276 | $159,100 | $3,431 | 78 | Relatively Moderate |
| Union County | 17,122 | $129,300 | $1,812 | 92 | Relatively Low |
| Vermilion County | 74,113 | $91,000 | $1,670 | 79 | Relatively Low |
| Wabash County | 11,321 | $94,100 | $1,480 | 87 | Very Low |
| Warren County | 16,760 | $98,200 | $1,837 | 77 | Very Low |
| Washington County | 13,781 | $147,100 | $2,804 | 88 | Relatively Low |
| Wayne County | 16,127 | $107,900 | $1,578 | 87 | Very Low |
| White County | 13,834 | $101,000 | $1,409 | 89 | Relatively Low |
| Whiteside County | 55,569 | $122,200 | $2,612 | 73 | Relatively Low |
| Will County | 696,774 | $283,600 | $6,825 | 74 | Relatively High |
| Williamson County | 67,120 | $139,500 | $2,337 | 90 | Relatively Moderate |
| Winnebago County | 284,591 | $146,800 | $3,812 | 71 | Relatively Moderate |
| Woodford County | 38,414 | $186,100 | $4,127 | 77 | Very Low |
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