Build Your Life in Jacksonville, Illinois: get paid to move to Jacksonville Region

Jacksonville Region, Illinois offers $5,000 cash. Status: taking applications.

$5,000CashAs published by the program$5,000 cash after one year of residency; $9,000 total package

Taking applicationsOpen when we checked on October 30, 2026Apply on the official site

Who it's for: People taking a local job
What you commit to: Stay 12 months, Income $70,000+
Visit before you move: Not mentioned
How we checked: Official page

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays.Checked October 30, 2026.How we check programs

$9,000Total valueCash plus perks
$324,950Typical home for saleStatewide

Who qualifies

A remote job is not required
A track for people who take a local job
Household income of at least $70,000
Staying at least 12 months

In the program's words

Earn at least $70,000, live 70+ miles outside the region, move to Morgan or Scott County within 6 months; priority for local hires in manufacturing, health care, engineering, legal, accounting (and education per JREDC) but remote workers may apply.

Perks: $300 Chamber Checks; 3 months free fiber broadband; free checking account; dining, golf, fitness and kayak bundles; school tour with the superintendent; real estate consultation

Run by: Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation

Read the official rules and apply

Amount and status confirmed on the program's own or a government page, 2025 or 2026. Programs change often: confirm the amount and deadline with the program before you plan a move.

Is it worth it?

The grant is the headline. The bigger number is usually what you stop paying every month.

Buying a home$30,324 a year less
The typical home in Illinois costs $324,950, against $784,778 in Boston. That's about $30,324 a year less on the mortgage^1,2.
Renting instead$1,416 a month
A 2-bedroom runs $1,416 a month across Illinois, against $2,370 in Boston, utilities included³.
Program cash$5,000
The program adds $5,000 in cash, $9,000 in total value.
Everyday pricesAbout the US average
Everyday prices in Illinois run about the US average. In the Boston metro they run 8.3% above the US average⁴.

Cost of living in Illinois

Is it worth it?

The grant is the headline. The bigger number is usually what you stop paying every month.

Buying a home$27,503 a year less
The typical home in Illinois costs $324,950, against $742,000 in New York. That's about $27,503 a year less on the mortgage^1,2.
Renting instead$1,416 a month
A 2-bedroom runs $1,416 a month across Illinois, against $1,997 in New York, utilities included³.
Program cash$5,000
The program adds $5,000 in cash, $9,000 in total value.
Everyday pricesAbout the US average
Everyday prices in Illinois run about the US average. In the New York metro they run 12.6% above the US average⁴.

Cost of living in Illinois

Living in Jacksonville

Home values, rent, local jobs, things to do and remote jobs you can bring: our guide to moving to Jacksonville.

Other Illinois programs

2 programs in Illinois were active when we checked on October 30, 2026.

Move to PittsfieldPittsfieldWaitlist$5,000 cashTotal value: $7,000
- Remote job
- Income $50,000+

Get paid to move to Illinois: every program

Programs in other states

Questions people ask

How much does Build Your Life in Jacksonville, Illinois pay?

$5,000 cash: $5,000 cash after one year of residency; $9,000 total package. Source: https://www.jredc.org/news-and-media/p/item/64869/jacksonville-region-is-looking-to-attract-skilled-professionals-in-key-industries (2025-10-09).

Who can apply to Build Your Life in Jacksonville, Illinois?

Is Build Your Life in Jacksonville, Illinois still open?

Open when we checked on October 30, 2026. JREDC news 2025-10-09: program in its second round; MakeMyMove listings show Apply Now and 'Recruiting Now' (site (C) 2026). Confirm with the program before you plan a move.

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Notes on the numbers

1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, Realtor.com via FRED, Illinois statewide; we do not have town-level data for this program yet.
2Mortgage: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Census table
4Everyday prices and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024.

Sources for this page

$5,000 cashTaking applications · Jacksonville Region

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