In short
Evanston charges 2 local taxes on a home sale: Evanston Real Estate Transfer Tax, Cook County Real Property Transfer Tax. On the median owner-occupied home ($489,700), local taxes come to $2,693; with the Illinois state tax of $490, the total is $3,183, or 0.65% of the price.
Median value: $489,700 median value of owner-occupied homes, Evanston city, Illinois (Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B25077). It is an owner estimate, not a sale price.
What you pay at different prices
| Price | Evanston Real Estate Transfer Tax | Cook County Real Property Transfer Tax | Illinois state tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300,000 | $1,500 | $150 | $300 | $1,950 |
| $489,700 median home | $2,449 | $245 | $490 | $3,183 |
| $500,000 | $2,500 | $250 | $500 | $3,250 |
| $1,000,000 | $5,000 | $500 | $1,000 | $6,500 |
| $2,000,000 | $14,000 | $1,000 | $2,000 | $17,000 |
Before exemptions and credits (first-time buyers, transfers between relatives…), which are listed below when the source gives them. The tax due on your deed is the one the recorder computes.
The rates, tax by tax
Evanston Real Estate Transfer Tax
$5 per $1,000 of value for sales up to $1.5M, $7 per $1,000 from $1,500,000.01 to $5M, $9 per $1,000 over $5M.
Who pays: typically paid by the seller, unless otherwise specified by contract.
In force: Ordinance 148-O-18 (graduated rates; effective 2019 per city form, not re-read). Source: City of Evanston - Real Estate Transfer Tax.
Cook County Real Property Transfer Tax
$0.25 per $500 of transfer price (0.05%).
Who pays: SELLER (Cook County Clerk list)
In force: Enacted 1/1/1968 per Clerk list. Source: Cook County Clerk, Transfer Tax by Municipality - City or Village (updated October 2025).
Evanston publishes its rates by price band; Payotte applies the band's rate to the whole price, as the city's table presents it. Check the ordinance for sales above $1.5 million.
Questions
How much local transfer tax do you pay on a median home in Evanston?
$2,693 on $489,700, the median value of owner-occupied homes (Census ACS). Payotte computes it from the rates published by the official sources cited on the page.
Who pays the Evanston Real Estate Transfer Tax in Evanston?
typically paid by the seller, unless otherwise specified by contract.
Is the local tax on top of the Illinois tax?
Yes. The local taxes listed here are added to the Illinois state transfer tax.
General information drawn from the official sources cited and dated on this page. It is not legal, tax or financial advice: for your own situation, ask a licensed professional.