County FMR · HUD FY2026
Carroll County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Carroll County, IL - 22% below the US average.
- $752
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $916
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +5.6%
- YoY change
- -22%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Carroll is the 2nd cheapest of 102 counties in Illinois by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 5.6% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #2
- cheapest of 102 in Illinois (2BR)
- -12%
- vs the state average
- $30,080
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +5.6%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (28.3%); 15 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Carroll County, IL. Verify with HUD →
Carroll County, Illinois carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $752 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $916/mo and a studio is $748/mo. That's 22% below the national benchmark of $959 and 12% below the Illinois average of $854.
Rent increased5.6% from FY 2025 ($712), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $30,080/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Illinois. Population: 15,594. Population grew 7.3% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Illinois's statewide growth of -1.0% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Carroll County
The Carroll County FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Illinois's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 22% below the US average of $959 and 12% lower than the Illinois state average of $854. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$712 in FY 2025 to $752 in FY 2026 - a change of +5.6%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $752, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $30,080 per year (about $2,507/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $916 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 15,594 and a county median household income of $60,871, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $707 | $748 | +$41 (+5.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $712 | $752 | +$40 (+5.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $870 | $916 | +$46 (+5.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,133 | $1,211 | +$78 (+6.9%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,389 | $1,458 | +$69 (+5.0%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Carroll County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Carroll County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Carroll sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$916 higher than 15% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Carroll compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Illinois counties
- Cook
Cook County
$1,581 1BR FMR / mo
- DuPage
DuPage County
$1,581 1BR FMR / mo
- Lake
Lake County
$1,581 1BR FMR / mo
- Will
Will County
$1,581 1BR FMR / mo
- Kane
Kane County
$1,581 1BR FMR / mo
- McHenry
McHenry County
$1,581 1BR FMR / mo
- Carroll
Carroll County
$752 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Carroll is highlighted. Nearby Illinois counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Cook County ($1,581), DuPage County ($1,581), Lake County ($1,581), Will County ($1,581), Kane County ($1,581), McHenry County ($1,581), Carroll County (this county) ($752).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $752/mo compares to Illinois salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | IL Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $127,770 | 7.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $101,430 | 8.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $101,530 | 8.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $96,360 | 9.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,410 | 10.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $79,300 | 11.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $64,160 | 14.1% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $62,290 | 14.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,790 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,910 | 20.1% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $44,610 | 20.2% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,010 | 24.4% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,780 | 25.2% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,490 | 26.2% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $31,900 | 28.3% | Affordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Carroll County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Carroll (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 41.9% overall, from $530 to $752. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 9.5% (FY 2025).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑5.6% | $748 | $752 | $916 |
| FY 2025 ↑9.5% | $707 | $712 | $870 |
| FY 2024 ↑6.4% | $553 | $650 | $807 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.3% | $531 | $611 | $774 |
| FY 2022 ↑5.3% | $503 | $559 | $735 |
| FY 2021 ↑0.2% | $476 | $531 | $700 |
| FY 2020 | $474 | $530 | $698 |
Where Carroll County Ranks in Illinois
Carroll County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #2 of 102 counties in Illinois. Nearest by rank: Bond County ($916), Carroll County (this county) ($916), Cass County ($916), Clay County ($916), Crawford County ($916), Cumberland County ($916), Douglas County ($916), Edgar County ($916), Edwards County ($916), Effingham County ($916).
Nearby Counties in Illinois
Largest counties by population in Illinois
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Carroll County? ▼
How does Carroll County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Carroll County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Carroll County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Carroll County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Carroll County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Carroll County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Carroll County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Carroll's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $752 implies about $30,080/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in Carroll can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.