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Cost of living, pay and housing

41.24° N · 88.24° W · GEOID 1730120

Godley

Grundy County, Illinois · part of the Chicago, IL metro

Limited data population under 5,000

IllinoisGodley, ILGodleyGodley

The short answer

Godley is home to 602 people. Median household income is $53,438 a year and median rent is $1,386 a month, 31.1% 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 $144,600, about 2.7x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,386
2% above the median place
Median household income
$53,438
33% below the median place
Median home value
$144,600
55% below the median place
Unemployment
4.6%
6% below 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 Godley

  • Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, rent rose 8.7% a year while household income rose 1.9%, so rent outran pay by more than in 93% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track.
  • After the median rent, and with prices for everything else adjusted to the US average, the median household has about $36,100 a year left, less than in 93% of places its size.
  • Owning with a mortgage costs only about $0 a month more than the median rent, a smaller gap than in 94% of places its size.
  • The median rent takes 31.1% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 95% of places its size.
  • The population has grown 11.9% since 2020, faster than in 87% of places its size.

People are moving in and rent is pulling away from pay. The population grew faster than in 88% of places since 2020, and rent outran income more than in 96% of them.

01

Moving to Godley

Grundy County gains about 2.6 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in2,722
Moved out2,599
Net+123

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Illinois, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within IllinoisOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$66K
Leavers$69K

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

Who moves here
5.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.0% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Grundy County report $65,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $68,500.
Income you would need
$55,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,386 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,386 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $144,600.
Getting to work
30 minutes each way on average; 10.0% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Belleview, FL matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people8
2.6
above the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8
$65,639
7% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureGodleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.7%1% below
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure2.6above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$65,6397% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$68,5223% below
02

What it costs to live here

Rent to income is 31.1%, 52% above the median place.

Godley31.1%
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
$55,440
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
31.1%
52% above the median place
Home price to income
2.7x
29% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
31%
over the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$35,700
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Godley, $1,386 a month, and local prices for everything else (101.9 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 Godley.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Godley? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median home value1
$144,600
55% below the median place
Homeownership1
84.7%
28% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$1,386
26% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureGodleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,3862% above
Rent to income131.1%52% above
Property tax rate11.3%40% above
Home price to income12.7x29% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure103.63% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,6130% below
HUD area median income4County figure$116,1008% above
Property tax paid (median)1$1,83644% below
Median home value1$144,60055% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure6.7%110% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure44.1%14% below
Homeownership184.7%28% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure40.1%21% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,38626% below
Vacant homes1County figure3.7%48% below
Median year built119931% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Median household income1
$53,438
33% below the median place
Mean commute1
30 min
21% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureGodleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$53,43833% below
Income per person1$31,06122% below
Unemployment1County figure4.6%6% below
Average annual pay6County figure$71,6279% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.5%32% below
Jobs6County figure22,95485% below
Poverty rate116.5%53% above
Mean commute130 min21% above
Works from home1County figure10.0%20% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Homes with broadband is 82.7%, 10% below the median place.

Homes with broadband1
82.7%
10% below the median place
Population change since 20207
11.9%
above the median place (median 1.1%)
Median age1
42.7
9% above the median place
All 9 people measures
MeasureGodleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population16026646th largest
Population change since 2020711.9%above (median 1.1%)
Median age142.79% above
Bachelor's or higher1County figure23.6%26% below
High school or higher191.5%1% below
Household size12.43% below
Born abroad1County figure4.1%54% below
No health insurance1County figure3.4%47% below
Homes with broadband182.7%10% below
05

Life in Godley

7 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars24.6 +18%
Shops29.1 −4%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.5 +10%
Doctors' offices and clinics23.1 +14%
Child care centers1.3 −43%

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

Child care centers per 10k9
1.3
43% below the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k9
24.6
18% above the median place
Public schools11
28
211% above the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureGodleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure28211% above
Public school students11County figure12,070146% above
Students per teacher11County figure14.84% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure24.618% above
Shops per 10k9County figure29.14% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure4.510% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure23.114% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure1.343% below
National Register listings10County figure746% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Wildfire risk is 15.7, 74% 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 Godley. Larger places are fetched first.

Wildfire risk13
15.7
74% below the median place
Good air days14
29.9%
56% below the median place
Hurricane risk13
9.4
87% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureGodleyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure85°F3% below
January average low12County figure16°F36% below
Average temperature12County figure51°F8% below
Annual precipitation12County figure37.7 in14% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure66.528% below
Hurricane risk13County figure9.487% below
Tornado risk13County figure68.816% below
Wildfire risk13County figure15.774% below
Heat wave risk13County figure45.949% below
Median air quality index14Metro figure5630% above
Good air days14Metro figure29.9%56% below
08

Godley in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 32% of the median income in 2030, up from 31% 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$1,386/mo (2024)$1,820/mo$1,490 to $2,220/mo+4.6%
Median household income$53,438 (2024)$67,500$57,000 to $79,500+3.9%
Median home value$144,600 (2024)$204,000$148,000 to $282,000+5.9%
Population637 (2025)680650 to 710+1.2%

The median home would be worth 3.0 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.7 now.

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

09

Places like Godley

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

PlaceRentIncome
Belleview, FL$1,257$57,813Compare
Dolton, IL$1,384$57,887Compare
Panthersville, GA$1,401$52,236Compare
Barling, AR$1,128$54,387Compare
Barling, ARPanthersville, GADolton, ILBelleview, FLGodley, ILGodleyBelleviewDoltonPanthersvilleBarlingGodleyBelleviewDoltonPanthersvilleBarling

Common questions

Is Godley a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, rent rose 8.7% a year while household income rose 1.9%, so rent outran pay by more than in 93% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. After the median rent, and with prices for everything else adjusted to the US average, the median household has about $36,100 a year left, less than in 93% of places its size. On cost, space and class size it scores 47 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Godley expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 31.1% 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 $144,600.

What salary do you need to live in Godley?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $55,440 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Godley?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Belleview, FL, Dolton, IL, Panthersville, GA and Barling, AR.

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

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

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