County FMR · HUD FY2026
Pope County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Pope County, IL - 14% below the US average.
- $828
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,087
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +23.2%
- YoY change
- -14%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Pope is the 28th most expensive of 102 counties in Illinois by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has climbed 23.2% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #28
- most expensive of 102 in Illinois (2BR)
- -3%
- vs the state average
- $33,120
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +23.2%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (7.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (31.1%); 14 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 Pope County, IL. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Pope County, Illinois at $828 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,087/mo and a studio is $749/mo. This is 14% lower than the national average of $959 and 3% below the Illinois average of $854.
Rent increased23.2% from FY 2025 ($672), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $33,120/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Illinois. Population: 3,799. Population declined 11.6% over the past five years (Census ACS), a trend that can ease rental-market pressure over time even as FMR reflects recent rent levels. That's slower than Illinois's statewide growth of -1.0% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Pope County
The Pope 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.
Pope County's 1-bedroom rent runs 14% below the US average of $959 and 3% lower than the Illinois state average of $854. Over the past year, 1-bedroom rent here shifted from$672 in FY 2025 to $828 in FY 2026 - a change of +23.2%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $828, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $33,120 per year (about $2,760/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,087 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 3,799 and a county median household income of $62,500, 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 | $604 | $749 | +$145 (+24.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $672 | $828 | +$156 (+23.2%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $881 | $1,087 | +$206 (+23.4%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,124 | $1,375 | +$251 (+22.3%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,255 | $1,553 | +$298 (+23.7%) |
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 Pope 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.
Pope County 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Pope sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,087 higher than 57% 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 Pope 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
- Pope
Pope County
$828 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Pope 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), Pope County (this county) ($828).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $828/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 | 7.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $101,430 | 9.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $101,530 | 9.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $96,360 | 10.3% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $86,410 | 11.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $79,300 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $64,160 | 15.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $62,290 | 16% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,790 | 16.6% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,910 | 22.1% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $44,610 | 22.3% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,010 | 26.8% | Affordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $35,780 | 27.8% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,490 | 28.8% | Affordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $31,900 | 31.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Pope County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Pope (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 56.2% overall, from $530 to $828. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 23.2% (FY 2026), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑23.2% | $749 | $828 | $1,087 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.9% | $604 | $672 | $881 |
| FY 2024 ↓9.9% | $553 | $617 | $807 |
| FY 2023 ↑6.2% | $531 | $685 | $774 |
| FY 2022 ↑5.0% | $503 | $645 | $735 |
| FY 2021 ↑15.8% | $476 | $614 | $700 |
| FY 2020 | $474 | $530 | $698 |
Where Pope County Ranks in Illinois
Pope 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 #75 of 102 counties in Illinois. Nearest by rank: Peoria County ($1,039), Stark County ($1,039), Tazewell County ($1,039), Woodford County ($1,039), Brown County ($1,063), Macon County ($1,063), Adams County ($1,064), La Salle County ($1,079), Pope County (this county) ($1,087), Ogle County ($1,118), Champaign County ($1,122), Piatt County ($1,122), Henry County ($1,143), Mercer County ($1,143), Rock Island County ($1,143), Boone County ($1,175), Winnebago County ($1,175).
Nearby Counties in Illinois
Largest counties by population in Illinois
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Pope County? ▼
How does Pope County rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Pope County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Pope County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Pope County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Pope County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Pope County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Pope County? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Pope'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 $828 implies about $33,120/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 Pope 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.