McHenry, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·McHenry

McHenry County · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin · population 28,825

McHenry, IL
Image: Wikipedia · McHenry, Illinois
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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77
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where McHenry stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 4.9% in the last year.

Median home $310,373
1-year +4.9%
5-yr CAGR +6.8%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +1.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$310k$152k$209k$266k$323k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
77/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 14.3
Buy

At a 14.3 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in McHenry on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 14.3 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
75 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
73 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
73 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
72 · w10%
Long thesis

McHenry has held up across the cycle: home values at $310,373 with +6.8% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

McHenry's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About McHenry

McHenry is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 28,825. It anchors the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area. The population grew 1.5% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in McHenry is $310,373 as of 2026-04, up 4.9% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in McHenry average $1,809 per month. The composite momentum score is 77 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +4.9% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Net positive migration: population up 1.5% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About McHenry (Wikipedia)

McHenry is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. It is located about 46 miles northwest of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 27,135. McHenry was at one time the county seat of McHenry County, which once included adjoining Lake County to the east. McHenry took its name from the county, which was named for Major William McHenry, a prominent US Army officer in the Black Hawk War.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for McHenry County right now.

NWS active alerts (IL)Illinois Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. McHenry County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like McHenry

Plano, IL78 · HotCrystal Lake, IL73 · RisingBatavia, IL72 · RisingChannahon, IL75 · Rising

Run the numbers for McHenry

ToolCan I afford McHenry?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a McHenry rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare McHenry to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolMcHenry cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 18°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
189
~52% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
22″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current McHenry listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$78,400
Illinois state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinanceManufacturingHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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