County FMR · HUD FY2026
Menard County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Menard County, IL - 1% above the US average.
- $970
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,203
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +5.3%
- YoY change
- +1%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Menard is the 19th most expensive of 102 counties in Illinois by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #975 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 5.3% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #975
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #19
- most expensive of 102 in Illinois (2BR)
- +14%
- vs the state average
- $38,800
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.5%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Menard County, IL. Verify with HUD →
Menard County, Illinois carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $970 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,203/mo and a studio is $829/mo. That's 1% above the national benchmark of $959 and 14% above the Illinois average of $854.
Rent increased5.3% from FY 2025 ($921), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $38,800/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 42.8% of the 1,069 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 2.1%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Illinois. Population: 12,284. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.6%, Census ACS). That's in line with Illinois's statewide growth of -1.0% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area MENARD·COUNTY·IL·IL
Menard County, IL: $970/mo 1BR · #975 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA IL
- 1BR-FMR $970
- 2BR-FMR $1,203
- RANK-MID #975
- YOY-SURGE +5.3%
- VSUS-NEAR +1%
- VS-ST-HIGH +14% IL
- INC-ROOM 14%
- POP-SMALL 12K
- PHOTO-NEAR Cook County
- VOUCH-90-110 $873–$1,067
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Cook ($611 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $776 | $829 | +$53 (+6.8%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $921 | $970 | +$49 (+5.3%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,132 | $1,203 | +$71 (+6.3%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,529 | $1,611 | +$82 (+5.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,564 | $1,682 | +$118 (+7.5%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Menard 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 Menard sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,203 Top 31% higher than 69% 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 Menard 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
- Menard
Menard County
$970 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Menard 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), Menard County (this county) ($970).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $970/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 | 9.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $101,430 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $101,530 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $96,360 | 12.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,410 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $79,300 | 14.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $64,160 | 18.1% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $62,290 | 18.7% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,790 | 19.5% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,910 | 25.9% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $44,610 | 26.1% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,010 | 31.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,780 | 32.5% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,490 | 33.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $31,900 | 36.5% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Menard County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Menard (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 54.7% overall, from $627 to $970. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +17.8% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑5.3% | $829 | $970 | $1,203 |
| FY 2025 ↑5.5% | $776 | $921 | $1,132 |
| FY 2024 ↑17.8% | $725 | $873 | $1,070 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.8% | $609 | $741 | $911 |
| FY 2022 ↓0.4% | $560 | $681 | $843 |
| FY 2021 ↑9.1% | $576 | $684 | $858 |
| FY 2020 | $542 | $627 | $802 |
Part of the Springfield, IL Metro Area
Menard County is a outlying county of the Springfield, IL metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.
Menard County ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Sangamon County ($970), Menard County (this county) ($970).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Menard 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 Menard County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Menard County is $970 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,203 and a studio is $829.
How does Menard County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Menard County is 1% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $970 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Menard County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Menard County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,203 ranks #975 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Menard County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $38,800 ($3,233/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Menard County.
Is rent going up or down in Menard County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Menard County increased by 5.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $921 to $970.
Which jobs can afford rent in Menard 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 $970/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Menard County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Menard County went from $627 in FY 2020 to $970 in FY 2026, a total change of +54.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Menard County?
In Menard County, the FY 2026 FMR of $970/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 Menard County?
For Menard County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($970/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Menard County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 2.1%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Menard County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.5% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Menard'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 $970 implies about $38,800/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 Menard 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.