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Cost of living, pay and housing

38.65° N · 90.17° W · GEOID 1708667

Brooklyn

St. Clair County, Illinois · part of the St. Louis, MO metro

Limited data population under 5,000

IllinoisBrooklyn, ILBrooklynBrooklyn

The short answer

Brooklyn is home to 729 people. Median household income is $30,673 a year and median rent is $904 a month, 35.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). That is above the usual 30% line for cost burden. The median home is valued at $37,500, about 1.2x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$904
34% below the median place
Median household income
$30,673
62% below the median place
Median home value
$37,500
88% below the median place
Unemployment
6.0%
22% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Brooklyn

  • After the median rent, and with prices for everything else adjusted to the US average, the median household has about $20,200 a year left, less than in 99% of the 1,875 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 284 Illinois places.
  • The median home is valued at $37,500, less than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 335 Illinois places.
  • 44.3% of residents live below the poverty line, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 310 Illinois places.
  • 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 301 Illinois places.
  • Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, rent rose 18.8% a year while household income rose 10.5%, so rent outran pay by more than in 96% of places its size.
01

Moving to Brooklyn

St. Clair County loses about 2.9 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in10,983
Moved out11,578
Net−595

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Illinois, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within IllinoisOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$59K
Leavers$62K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of St. Clair County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.0% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into St. Clair County report $59,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $62,500, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$36,200 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $904 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $930 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $37,500.
Getting to work
25 minutes each way on average; 12.4% work from home; 1.6% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Muncie, IN matches it on character. Compare the two
Income of households moving in8
$58,999
16% below the median place
Moved from another state1
3.0%
50% above the median place
Income of households moving out8
$62,450
11% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureBrooklynAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.4%7% below
Moved from another state1County figure3.0%50% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-2.9383% below
Income of households moving in8County figure$58,99916% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$62,45011% below
02

What it costs to live here

Property tax rate is 9.8%, above the median place (median 0.9%).

Brooklyn35.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$36,160
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
35.4%
74% above the median place
Home price to income
1.2x
68% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
35%
over the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$20,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Brooklyn, $904 a month, and local prices for everything else (98.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Brooklyn.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Brooklyn? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax rate1
9.8%
above the median place (median 0.9%)
Median home value1
$37,500
88% below the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$930
50% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureBrooklynAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$90434% below
Rent to income135.4%74% above
Property tax rate19.8%above (median 0.9%)
Home price to income11.2x68% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure95.16% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,34916% below
HUD area median income4County figure$113,5006% above
Property tax paid (median)1County figure$3,66512% above
Median home value1$37,50088% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure5.3%66% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure51.5%0% below
Homeownership144.6%33% below
Renters paying 30%+1County figure47.7%6% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$93050% below
Vacant homes113.9%97% above
Median year built119641% below
03

Work and pay

Median household income is $30,673, 62% below the median place.

Median household income1
$30,673
62% below the median place
Poverty rate1
44.3%
311% above the median place
Income per person1
$24,036
40% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureBrooklynAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$30,67362% below
Income per person1$24,03640% below
Unemployment1County figure6.0%22% above
Average annual pay6County figure$59,03411% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.6%3% below
Jobs6County figure89,19241% below
Poverty rate144.3%311% above
Mean commute125 min1% above
Works from home1County figure12.4%1% below
Commutes by transit1County figure1.6%85% above
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 0.0%, below the median place (median 8.8%).

Born abroad1
0.0%
below the median place (median 8.8%)
Homes with broadband1
76.3%
17% below the median place
Median age1
29.5
24% below the median place
All 9 people measures
MeasureBrooklynAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population17296646th largest
Population change since 20207-4.4%below (median 1.1%)
Median age129.524% below
Bachelor's or higher1County figure31.8%1% below
High school or higher197.6%6% above
Household size12.65% above
Born abroad10.0%below (median 8.8%)
No health insurance1County figure5.1%20% below
Homes with broadband176.3%17% below
05

Life in Brooklyn

29 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars20.0 −4%
Shops30.2 −0%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.4 −17%
Doctors' offices and clinics18.1 −10%
Child care centers2.2 −4%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools11
96
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students11
40,879
above the median place (median 4,897)
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9
3.4
17% below the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureBrooklynAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure96above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure40,879above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure14.56% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure20.04% below
Shops per 10k9County figure30.20% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure3.417% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure18.110% below
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.24% below
National Register listings10County figure29123% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Wildfire risk is 15.1, 75% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Brooklyn. Larger places are fetched first.

Wildfire risk13
15.1
75% below the median place
Good air days14
31.2%
54% below the median place
Median air quality index14
56
30% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureBrooklynAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure89°F2% above
January average low12County figure23°F8% below
Average temperature12County figure56°F3% above
Annual precipitation12County figure42.5 in3% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure94.93% above
Hurricane risk13County figure34.951% below
Tornado risk13County figure95.517% above
Wildfire risk13County figure15.175% below
Heat wave risk13County figure98.19% above
Median air quality index14Metro figure5630% above
Good air days14Metro figure31.2%54% below
08

Brooklyn in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 37% of the median income in 2030, up from 35% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$904/mo (2024)$1,260/mo$1,030 to $1,530/mo+5.7%
Median household income$30,673 (2024)$40,500$34,000 to $47,500+4.7%
Median home value$37,500 (2024)$51,000$37,000 to $70,000+5.3%
Population626 (2025)620590 to 640−0.3%

The median home would be worth 1.3 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.2 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Brooklyn

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Muncie, IN$904$44,471Compare
Macomb, IL$765$44,411Compare
Charleston, IL$817$49,300Compare
Clinton, SC$899$44,522Compare
Clinton, SCCharleston, ILMacomb, ILMuncie, INBrooklyn, ILBrooklynMuncieMacombClintonBrooklynMuncieMacombClinton

Common questions

Is Brooklyn a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. After the median rent, and with prices for everything else adjusted to the US average, the median household has about $20,200 a year left, less than in 99% of the 1,875 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 284 Illinois places. The median home is valued at $37,500, less than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 335 Illinois places. On cost, space and class size it scores 18 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Brooklyn expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 35.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $37,500.

What salary do you need to live in Brooklyn?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $36,160 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Brooklyn?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Muncie, IN, Macomb, IL, Charleston, IL and Clinton, SC.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Brooklyn with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Brooklyn itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/brooklyn-illinois

Citytistics. “Brooklyn, Illinois.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/brooklyn-illinois/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.