Hancock County Property Records

Hancock County property records include assessed values, tax information, and ownership data for all parcels in this western Illinois county along the Mississippi River. Michael McVey serves as the Supervisor of Assessments in Carthage, where the office maintains these records and makes them available through a free online portal and in-person visits. You can search Hancock County property records by address, owner name, or parcel number using the county's DevNet search tool. Township assessors set values on homes, farms, and commercial buildings each year, and the assessment office reviews those figures. This page explains how to find and use Hancock County property records.

Hancock County Assessment Office

Michael McVey is the Supervisor of Assessments for Hancock County. His office is at 500 Main St., PO Box 444, Carthage, IL 62321. You can call at 217-357-2615 or fax to 217-357-6607. For email, reach the office at ccao@hancockcounty-il.gov. Staff here track assessed values for every parcel in the county, process exemption forms, and assist township assessors who handle the hands-on work of valuing homes, farmland, and commercial buildings throughout Hancock County.

The assessment office plays a key role in how Hancock County property records stay accurate. Under 35 ILCS 200/, the Supervisor of Assessments must check all township values to make sure they are uniform across the board. If one township seems too high or too low relative to the rest, the office can apply an equalization factor. Michael McVey also oversees the Board of Review, which is where residents file complaints when they think their assessed value is wrong. Hancock County sits along the Mississippi River and has a mix of farmland, small towns, and rural residential parcels. The office deals with agricultural assessments more than most urban counties, since a large share of Hancock County property records involve farm parcels.

The Hancock County assessment office website provides contact information and details about the assessment process.

Visit this page for office hours, forms, and other resources related to Hancock County property records.

Search Hancock County Property Records Online

Hancock County provides a free property search through the DevNet Wedge platform. This tool lets you look up any parcel by owner name, address, or Property Index Number. The PIN is a code tied to each parcel that stays with the land regardless of ownership changes. Most people start by typing in an address. Results show assessed values, lot size, property class, and other data tied to that parcel.

The Hancock County property search portal is available at no charge. You do not need an account. The system shows both the fair market value and the assessed value at 33 1/3 percent, which is the standard rate across most of Illinois under 35 ILCS 200/. You can also check which township a parcel falls in and what exemptions have been applied. This is the quickest way to look at Hancock County property records without making a trip to Carthage. The portal runs at all hours and works well on both desktop and mobile.

Below is the Hancock County property search tool on the DevNet Wedge portal where you can look up parcels by name, address, or PIN.

Use this tool to find assessed values, ownership data, and parcel details for any property in Hancock County.

Note: Recent sales in Hancock County may take a few weeks to show up in the online system after the deed gets recorded.

Hancock County Property Tax Records

Property taxes in Hancock County are paid in arrears. The bill you get this year covers the prior year's assessment. The lien date is January 1 under Illinois law. Tax bills go out the following year, and most Hancock County owners pay in two installments.

Tax rates vary across the county. A home in Carthage carries a different total rate than a farm outside of town. Each parcel falls into a tax code area that pulls rates from the county, township, school district, fire district, and other local taxing bodies. The county clerk calculates the final rate for each code area. The state equalization factor from the Illinois Department of Revenue also plays a role. This multiplier adjusts assessed values across Hancock County to keep them at the target level statewide. Under 35 ILCS 200/, local governments set their own levies and the clerk brings those together into one rate per tax code area. You can check the exact rate for your parcel through the county treasurer's office.

How Hancock County Assessments Work

Township assessors do the hands-on work in Hancock County. They visit properties, review building permits, and set values. The assessment date is January 1 each year. All real property gets assessed at 33 1/3 percent of fair market value under 35 ILCS 200/. Hancock County follows a four-year reassessment cycle with yearly adjustments in between.

After township assessors finish, the Supervisor of Assessments reviews the numbers to keep them uniform. If one township is out of step, the office can apply an equalization factor. The Illinois Department of Revenue sets a state factor each year too. Assessment notices go out in late summer or early fall. You have about 30 days from the date on your notice to file a complaint with the Board of Review. Bring comparable sales data or a recent appraisal to support your case. The board has the authority to adjust values in Hancock County property records based on what the evidence shows. Farmland in Hancock County makes up a large share of total parcels. These properties use a soil productivity formula rather than market comparisons to set assessed values, which often results in lower numbers for agricultural land.

Hancock County Property Exemptions

Several exemptions can lower your tax bill in Hancock County. You apply through the Supervisor of Assessments office in Carthage. Each exemption has its own rules.

The General Homestead Exemption is the most common one. It cuts $6,000 from your assessed value if you own and live in the home. No age requirement. Homeowners 65 and up can also get the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption for an extra $5,000 off. The Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze locks your assessed value in place so it does not rise each year. Income limits apply for the freeze. The Disabled Persons Homestead Exemption gives a $2,000 reduction. Veterans with a service-connected disability may qualify for the Disabled Veterans Homestead Exemption. Under 35 ILCS 200/, all of these exemptions are set by state law and applied at the county level. Once approved, they show up on your Hancock County property record and reduce the taxable assessed value.

• General Homestead: $6,000 off assessed value
• Senior Citizens: extra $5,000 for age 65+
• Senior Freeze: locks value (income limits apply)
• Disabled Persons: $2,000 reduction
• Disabled Veterans: varies by disability rating

Note: Contact the Hancock County assessment office at 217-357-2615 to check which exemptions you qualify for.

Get Hancock County Records in Person

You can visit the assessment office at 500 Main St. in Carthage during business hours. Bring the address or PIN of the property you want to look up. Staff can search the system, pull up the record, and print copies. This is the best option if you have questions that are hard to sort out online or need help with an exemption form.

For basic lookups, the online search at hancockil.devnetwedge.com is faster. But for appeals, forms that need a signature, or detailed questions about your assessment, the in-person visit works best. Hancock County property records are public under Illinois law. Anyone can ask to see them regardless of whether they own the parcel or live in the county. You can reach the office by phone at 217-357-2615 or email ccao@hancockcounty-il.gov with questions.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Hancock County. Each one keeps its own property records. If a property sits close to a county border, check the address to be sure you are searching in the right county.