County FMR · HUD FY2026
Monroe County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Monroe County, IL - 4% above the US average.
- $995
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,218
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +1.1%
- YoY change
- +4%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Monroe is the 13th most expensive of 102 counties in Illinois by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #13
- most expensive of 102 in Illinois (2BR)
- +17%
- vs the state average
- $39,800
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +1.1%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37.4%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Monroe County, IL. Verify with HUD →
Monroe County, Illinois carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $995 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,218/mo and a studio is $955/mo. That's 4% above the national benchmark of $959 and 17% above the Illinois average of $854.
Rent increased1.1% from FY 2025 ($984), roughly tracking inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $39,800/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Illinois. Population: 34,905. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.0%, Census ACS). That's faster than Illinois's statewide growth of -1.0% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Monroe County
The Monroe 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 4% above the US average of $959 and 17% higher than the Illinois state average of $854. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$984 in FY 2025 to $995 in FY 2026 - a change of +1.1%, which tracks roughly with broader price trends.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $995, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $39,800 per year (about $3,317/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,218 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 34,905 and a county median household income of $101,635, 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 | $951 | $955 | +$4 (+0.4%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $984 | $995 | +$11 (+1.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,215 | $1,218 | +$3 (+0.2%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,570 | $1,568 | $-2 (-0.1%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,806 | $1,812 | +$6 (+0.3%) |
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 Monroe 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.
Monroe County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Monroe sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,218 Top 30% higher than 70% 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 Monroe 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
- Monroe
Monroe County
$995 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Monroe 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), Monroe County (this county) ($995).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $995/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 | 9.3% | 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 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $79,300 | 15.1% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $64,160 | 18.6% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $62,290 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,790 | 20% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,910 | 26.6% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $44,610 | 26.8% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,010 | 32.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,780 | 33.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,490 | 34.6% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $31,900 | 37.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Monroe County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Monroe (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 41.9% overall, from $701 to $995. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +22.3% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑1.1% | $955 | $995 | $1,218 |
| FY 2025 ↑1.2% | $951 | $984 | $1,215 |
| FY 2024 ↑22.3% | $928 | $972 | $1,209 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.7% | $748 | $795 | $999 |
| FY 2022 ↑1.9% | $689 | $745 | $947 |
| FY 2021 ↑4.3% | $671 | $731 | $938 |
| FY 2020 | $633 | $701 | $905 |
Part of the St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area
Monroe County is a central county of the St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area, alongside 14 other metro-area counties.
Monroe County ranks #13 of 15 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: St. Louis County ($995), St. Charles County ($995), St. Louis city ($995), Madison County ($995), St. Clair County ($995), Jefferson County ($995), Franklin County ($995), Lincoln County ($995), Clinton County ($995), Warren County ($995), Jersey County ($995), Calhoun County ($995), Monroe County (this county) ($995), Bond County ($836), Macoupin County ($698).
Show all 15 counties in this metro area
Nearby Counties in Illinois
Largest counties by population in Illinois
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Monroe County? ▼
How does Monroe County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Monroe County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Monroe County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Monroe County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Monroe County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Monroe County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Monroe County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Monroe'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 $995 implies about $39,800/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 Monroe 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.