County FMR · HUD FY2026
McLean County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for McLean County, IL - 4% above the US average.
- $999
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,302
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +19.6%
- YoY change
- +4%
- vs US avg
The verdict
McLean is the 11th most expensive of 102 counties in Illinois by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #755 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 19.6% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #755
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #11
- most expensive of 102 in Illinois (2BR)
- +17%
- vs the state average
- $39,960
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.4%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.6%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for McLean County, IL. Verify with HUD →
McLean County, Illinois carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $999 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,302/mo and a studio is $927/mo. That's 4% above the national benchmark of $959 and 17% above the Illinois average of $854.
Rent increased19.6% from FY 2025 ($835), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $39,960/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 38.6% of the 24,026 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.8%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Illinois. Population: 171,284. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.3%, Census ACS). That's in line with Illinois's statewide growth of -1.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MCLEAN·COUNTY·IL·IL
McLean County, IL: $999/mo 1BR · #755 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA IL
- 1BR-FMR $999
- 2BR-FMR $1,302
- RANK-MID #755
- YOY-SURGE +19.6%
- VSUS-NEAR +4%
- VS-ST-HIGH +17% IL
- INC-ROOM 15%
- POP-MID 171K
- PHOTO-NEAR Cook County
- VOUCH-90-110 $899–$1,099
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Cook ($582 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $770 | $927 | +$157 (+20.4%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $835 | $999 | +$164 (+19.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,080 | $1,302 | +$222 (+20.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,426 | $1,717 | +$291 (+20.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,432 | $1,724 | +$292 (+20.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in McLean 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.
Where McLean sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,302 Top 24% higher than 76% 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 McLean 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
- McLean
McLean County
$999 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows McLean 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), McLean County (this county) ($999).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $999/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 | 9.4% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $101,430 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $101,530 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $96,360 | 12.4% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,410 | 13.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $79,300 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $64,160 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $62,290 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,790 | 20.1% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,910 | 26.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $44,610 | 26.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,010 | 32.4% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,780 | 33.5% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,490 | 34.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $31,900 | 37.6% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for McLean County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for McLean (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 54.2% overall, from $648 to $999. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +19.6% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑19.6% | $927 | $999 | $1,302 |
| FY 2025 ↓3.9% | $770 | $835 | $1,080 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.6% | $782 | $869 | $1,103 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.8% | $698 | $793 | $987 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.1% | $609 | $703 | $870 |
| FY 2021 ↑5.2% | $603 | $682 | $853 |
| FY 2020 | $579 | $648 | $827 |
Part of the Bloomington, IL Metro Area
McLean County is a central county of the Bloomington, IL metropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for McLean 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).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside IL).
Nearby Counties in Illinois
Largest counties by population in Illinois
Showing the 8 largest of 101 other counties in Illinois.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in McLean County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in McLean County is $999 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,302 and a studio is $927.
How does McLean County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in McLean County is 4% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $999 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does McLean County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, McLean County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,302 ranks #755 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 McLean County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $39,960 ($3,330/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in McLean County.
Is rent going up or down in McLean County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in McLean County increased by 19.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $835 to $999.
Which jobs can afford rent in McLean 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 $999/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in McLean County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in McLean County went from $648 in FY 2020 to $999 in FY 2026, a total change of +54.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in McLean County?
In McLean County, the FY 2026 FMR of $999/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 McLean County?
For McLean County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($999/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in McLean County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.8%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in McLean County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.2% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat McLean's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $999 implies about $39,960/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Illinois counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Cook
- See where McLean ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.