County FMR · HUD FY2026

Grundy County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Grundy County, IL - 17% above the US average.

$1,118
1-bedroom FMR
$1,459
2-bedroom FMR
-2.9%
YoY change
+17%
vs US avg

The verdict

Grundy is the 8th most expensive of 102 counties in Illinois by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #503 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.

#503
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#8
most expensive of 102 in Illinois (2BR)
+31%
vs the state average
$44,720
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (42.1%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Grundy County, IL. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Grundy County, Illinois at $1,118 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,459/mo and a studio is $1,032/mo. This is 17% higher than the national average of $959 and 31% above the Illinois average of $854.

Rent decreased2.9% from FY 2025 ($1,151), declining against the trend. A household needs about $44,720/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 43.0% of the 4,963 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Illinois. Population: 52,624. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.8%, Census ACS). That's faster than Illinois's statewide growth of -1.0% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area GRUNDY·COUNTY·IL·IL

Grundy County, IL: $1,118/mo 1BR · #503 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA IL
  • 1BR-FMR $1,118
  • 2BR-FMR $1,459
  • RANK-MID #503
  • YOY-DOWN -2.9%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +17%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +31% IL
  • INC-ROOM 14%
  • POP-MID 53K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Cook County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,006–$1,230
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Cook ($463 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $774 · US avg: $893
$1,032/mo
↓ 1.2% YoY +33% vs state +16% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $854 · US avg: $959
$1,118/mo
↓ 2.9% YoY +31% vs state +17% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,063 · US avg: $1,175
$1,459/mo
↓ 3.4% YoY +37% vs state +24% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,370 · US avg: $1,525
$1,979/mo
↓ 1.0% YoY +44% vs state +30% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,561 · US avg: $1,756
$2,203/mo
↑ 9.8% YoY +41% vs state +25% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,045
$1,032
$-13 (-1.2%)
1 Bedroom $1,151
$1,118
$-33 (-2.9%)
2 Bedroom $1,510
$1,459
$-51 (-3.4%)
3 Bedroom $1,999
$1,979
$-20 (-1.0%)
4 Bedroom $2,006
$2,203
+$197 (+9.8%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Grundy County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
13.3%
Affordable
Need $41,280/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
14.4%
Affordable
Need $44,720/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
18.8%
Affordable
Need $58,360/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
25.5%
Affordable
Need $79,160/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
28.4%
Affordable
Need $88,120/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%18.8%
Grundy County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $93,060 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Illinois rent burden →

Where Grundy sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,459 Top 16% higher than 84% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). This entry sits in this band. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Grundy compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Illinois counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Grundy 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), Grundy County (this county) ($1,118).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,118/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Illinois BLS wages?

Occupation IL Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $127,770 10.5% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $101,430 13.2% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $101,530 13.2% Affordable
Electricians $96,360 13.9% Affordable
Registered Nurses $86,410 15.5% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $79,300 16.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $64,160 20.9% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $62,290 21.5% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,790 22.4% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $44,910 29.9% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $44,610 30.1% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $37,010 36.2% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $35,780 37.5% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $34,490 38.9% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $31,900 42.1% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Illinois) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Grundy County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Grundy (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 27.2% overall, from $879 to $1,118. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +19.7% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,118
Grundy County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓2.9% $1,032 $1,118 $1,459
FY 2025 ↑1.5% $1,045 $1,151 $1,510
FY 2024 ↑19.7% $1,025 $1,134 $1,490
FY 2023 ↑3.4% $848 $947 $1,247
FY 2022 ↑2.6% $910 $916 $1,205
FY 2021 ↑1.6% $887 $893 $1,177
FY 2020 $873 $879 $1,158
Total change (6yr): +27.2%
Annualized: +4.1%/yr
1 BR: $879 → $1,118

Part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Metro Area

Grundy County is a outlying county of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area, alongside 12 other metro-area counties.

Grundy County ranks #8 of 13 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, 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), Kendall County ($1,562), Grundy County (this county) ($1,118), Lake County ($1,082), Porter County ($1,082), Newton County ($1,082), DeKalb County ($1,046), Jasper County ($895).

Cook County
1 BR: $1,581/mo
DuPage County
1 BR: $1,581/mo
Lake County
1 BR: $1,581/mo
Will County
1 BR: $1,581/mo
Kane County
1 BR: $1,581/mo
McHenry County
1 BR: $1,581/mo
Kendall County
1 BR: $1,562/mo
Grundy County (this county)
1 BR: $1,118/mo
Lake County
1 BR: $1,082/mo
Porter County
1 BR: $1,082/mo
Newton County
1 BR: $1,082/mo
DeKalb County
1 BR: $1,046/mo
Show all 13 counties in this metro area
Jasper County
1 BR: $895/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Grundy County, both outside Illinois so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside IL (FY2026).

Utah County
UT · 2 BR $1,460/mo
Juab County
UT · 2 BR $1,460/mo
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area
AK · 2 BR $1,460/mo
Livingston County
MI · 2 BR $1,457/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside IL).

Chilton County
AL · 18.8% of income · 2 BR $970/mo
Kershaw County
SC · 18.8% of income · 2 BR $1,009/mo
Limestone County
AL · 18.8% of income · 2 BR $1,310/mo
Henry County
MO · 18.8% of income · 2 BR $888/mo

Nearby Counties in Illinois

Largest counties by population in Illinois

Showing the 8 largest of 101 other counties in Illinois.

Cook County
1 BR: $1,581/mo Pop: 5,225,367
DuPage County
1 BR: $1,581/mo Pop: 930,559
Lake County
1 BR: $1,581/mo Pop: 713,159
Will County
1 BR: $1,581/mo Pop: 696,774
Kane County
1 BR: $1,581/mo Pop: 517,254
McHenry County
1 BR: $1,581/mo Pop: 311,133
Winnebago County
1 BR: $895/mo Pop: 284,591
Madison County
1 BR: $995/mo Pop: 265,512
View all counties in Illinois →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Grundy County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Grundy County is $1,118 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,459 and a studio is $1,032.
How does Grundy County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Grundy County is 17% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,118 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Grundy County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Grundy County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,459 ranks #503 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Grundy County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $44,720 ($3,727/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Grundy County.
Is rent going up or down in Grundy County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Grundy County decreased by 2.9% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,151 to $1,118.
Which jobs can afford rent in Grundy County? ▼
Based on Illinois BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,118/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Grundy County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Grundy County went from $879 in FY 2020 to $1,118 in FY 2026, a total change of +27.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Grundy County? ▼
In Grundy County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,118/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Grundy County? ▼
For Grundy County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,118/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.