State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in Illinois

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Illinois is $854/mo - 11% below the US average.

$854
Avg 1BR FMR
102
Counties
12
Metro areas

The verdict

Illinois's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,063 - 10% below the US average, the 15th lowest of 51 states.

Illinois's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom averages $1,063, 10% below the US average - the 15th lowest of 51 states. A household needs about $42,520 in annual income to afford it under HUD's 30% affordability rule, and rents vary 127% between the state's cheapest and priciest counties.

#15
most affordable of 51 states (2BR)
-10%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$42,520
income to afford it (30% rule)
127%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 102 counties and 12 metro areas in IL. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for Illinois

Across Illinois's 102 counties and 12 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent averages $854/mo for a 1-bedroom (studio through 4-bedroom averages are broken out below). FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level, not statewide, so that figure is the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside IL, weighted equally. Local housing authorities use each county's or metro's FMR (not the state average) to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards, typically ranging from 90% to 110% of FMR.

Benchmarked against the rest of the country, Illinois's average 1-bedroom FMR of $854 is 11% below the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform - the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Edwards County at $698, while the most expensive is in Will County at $1,581, a spread of roughly 127% between the lowest- and highest-cost counties. That intra-state dispersion is why urban voucher recipients, families relocating for jobs, and landlords setting Section 8 rents all need to check the specific FMR area rather than rely on a statewide figure.

For affordability, the 30% rule implies a household income of $34,160 per year (about $2,847/month) to afford Illinois's average 1-bedroom at $854. With a state population of 12,692,653 and median household income of $81,702, a significant share of Illinois renters fall above the 30% cost-burden threshold in higher-FMR counties. Pair these rent figures with Illinois's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where Illinois sits among all 50 states + DC

Average 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. every US state

$1,063 higher than 27% of 51 states

$900–$1,000: 11 states (22%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,100: 7 states (14%). This entry sits in this band. $1,100–$1,200: 8 states (16%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $1,300–$1,400: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,500: 8 states (16%). Above this entry. $1,500–$1,600: 3 states (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,700: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,700–$1,800: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,800–$1,900: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $1,900–$2,000: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,100: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,100–$2,200: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $2,300–$2,400: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,500: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. IL $900 $2,500 every US state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.1K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. 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

State Average vs National Average

Studio
$774
-13% vs US avg
1 BR
$854
-11% vs US avg
2 BR
$1,063
-10% vs US avg
3 BR
$1,370
-10% vs US avg
4 BR
$1,561
-11% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in Illinois by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent, the highest-cost 10 of 102 IL counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside IL, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $698 in Edwards County to $1,581 in Will County.

Source HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data As of FY2026

Cheapest Counties

Lowest FMR rental costs →

Most Expensive Counties

Highest FMR rental costs →

Rent Burden

% of income spent on rent →

Rent Growth

YoY rent trends by county →

Metro areas in Illinois

Each metro FMR area applies one rent schedule across all its counties, ranked here by 1-bedroom FMR.

# Metro area Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area $1,480
$1,581
$1,781$2,294$2,653
2 Kankakee, IL MSA $914
$1,011
$1,326$1,745$1,774
3 Bloomington, IL MSA $927
$999
$1,302$1,717$1,724
4 Springfield, IL MSA $829
$970
$1,203$1,611$1,682
5 Champaign-Urbana, IL HUD Metro FMR Area $941
$946
$1,122$1,436$1,486
6 Rockford, IL MSA $810
$895
$1,175$1,555$1,594
7 Decatur, IL MSA $840
$845
$1,063$1,378$1,706
8 Bond County, IL HUD Metro FMR Area $632
$836
$916$1,154$1,213
9 Peoria, IL MSA $758
$818
$1,039$1,346$1,449
10 Massac County, IL HUD Metro FMR Area $784
$789
$969$1,348$1,415
11 Danville, IL MSA -
-
---
12 Jackson County, IL HUD Metro FMR Area -
-
---

Counties in Illinois, ranked by rent (102)

All 102 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

102 of 102
# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Cook County $1,480
$1,581
$1,781$2,294$2,653
2 DuPage County $1,480
$1,581
$1,781$2,294$2,653
3 Kane County $1,480
$1,581
$1,781$2,294$2,653
4 Lake County $1,480
$1,581
$1,781$2,294$2,653
5 McHenry County $1,480
$1,581
$1,781$2,294$2,653
6 Will County $1,480
$1,581
$1,781$2,294$2,653
7 Kendall County $1,413
$1,562
$2,050$2,819$2,918
8 Grundy County $1,032
$1,118
$1,459$1,979$2,203
9 DeKalb County $947
$1,046
$1,373$1,825$2,203
10 Kankakee County $914
$1,011
$1,326$1,745$1,774
11 McLean County $927
$999
$1,302$1,717$1,724
12 Calhoun County $955
$995
$1,218$1,568$1,812
13 Clinton County $955
$995
$1,218$1,568$1,812
14 Jersey County $955
$995
$1,218$1,568$1,812
15 Madison County $955
$995
$1,218$1,568$1,812
16 Monroe County $955
$995
$1,218$1,568$1,812
17 St. Clair County $955
$995
$1,218$1,568$1,812
18 Menard County $829
$970
$1,203$1,611$1,682
19 Sangamon County $829
$970
$1,203$1,611$1,682
20 Champaign County $941
$946
$1,122$1,436$1,486
21 Piatt County $941
$946
$1,122$1,436$1,486
22 Henry County $817
$928
$1,143$1,498$1,819
23 Mercer County $817
$928
$1,143$1,498$1,819
24 Rock Island County $817
$928
$1,143$1,498$1,819
25 Boone County $810
$895
$1,175$1,555$1,594
26 Winnebago County $810
$895
$1,175$1,555$1,594
27 Ogle County $771
$852
$1,118$1,365$1,602
28 Putnam County $646
$851
$937$1,212$1,553
29 Macon County $840
$845
$1,063$1,378$1,706
30 Bond County $632
$836
$916$1,154$1,213
31 Cass County $632
$836
$916$1,263$1,537
32 Douglas County $681
$836
$916$1,240$1,271
33 Pulaski County $632
$836
$916$1,274$1,537
34 Schuyler County $632
$836
$916$1,098$1,315
35 Washington County $632
$836
$916$1,242$1,268
36 Pope County $749
$828
$1,087$1,375$1,553
37 La Salle County $772
$822
$1,079$1,441$1,701
38 Marshall County $758
$818
$1,039$1,346$1,449
39 Peoria County $758
$818
$1,039$1,346$1,449
40 Stark County $758
$818
$1,039$1,346$1,449
41 Tazewell County $758
$818
$1,039$1,346$1,449
42 Woodford County $758
$818
$1,039$1,346$1,449
43 Adams County $734
$811
$1,064$1,327$1,500
44 Brown County $733
$810
$1,063$1,275$1,518
45 Lee County $632
$810
$916$1,274$1,395
46 Alexander County $763
$807
$992$1,380$1,664
47 Jo Daviess County $658
$796
$954$1,271$1,276
48 Hancock County $632
$791
$916$1,111$1,213
49 De Witt County $714
$790
$1,036$1,242$1,738
50 Williamson County $753
$790
$1,037$1,369$1,386
51 Bureau County $714
$789
$1,035$1,278$1,433
52 Massac County $784
$789
$969$1,348$1,415
53 Shelby County $656
$789
$951$1,140$1,435
54 Jefferson County $777
$782
$1,026$1,248$1,365
55 Logan County $681
$782
$988$1,221$1,308
56 Livingston County $702
$776
$1,018$1,267$1,348
57 Clark County $696
$769
$1,009$1,245$1,336
58 Marion County $662
$769
$916$1,190$1,537
59 Edgar County $632
$768
$916$1,226$1,405
60 Crawford County $632
$764
$916$1,241$1,537
61 Coles County $665
$759
$965$1,261$1,348
62 Greene County $684
$756
$992$1,189$1,385
63 Effingham County $745
$754
$916$1,208$1,385
64 Carroll County $748
$752
$916$1,211$1,458
65 Fayette County $722
$750
$916$1,183$1,293
66 Christian County $672
$742
$974$1,168$1,418
67 Vermilion County $672
$742
$974$1,179$1,306
68 Jackson County $632
$737
$916$1,208$1,213
69 Johnson County $632
$735
$916$1,159$1,360
70 Richland County $632
$729
$916$1,098$1,390
71 McDonough County $656
$728
$951$1,231$1,512
72 Hamilton County $632
$727
$916$1,274$1,308
73 Lawrence County $652
$721
$946$1,136$1,253
74 Jasper County $643
$719
$933$1,119$1,333
75 Whiteside County $673
$719
$916$1,208$1,213
76 Cumberland County $632
$717
$916$1,098$1,537
77 Montgomery County $694
$714
$937$1,123$1,287
78 Fulton County $703
$708
$916$1,274$1,288
79 Clay County $632
$707
$916$1,167$1,308
80 Saline County $634
$701
$920$1,207$1,264
81 Edwards County $632
$698
$916$1,098$1,213
82 Ford County $694
$698
$916$1,274$1,300
83 Franklin County $632
$698
$916$1,181$1,329
84 Gallatin County $632
$698
$916$1,098$1,308
85 Hardin County $632
$698
$916$1,098$1,308
86 Henderson County $632
$698
$916$1,274$1,308
87 Iroquois County $694
$698
$916$1,136$1,492
88 Knox County $694
$698
$916$1,199$1,213
89 Macoupin County $694
$698
$916$1,145$1,423
90 Mason County $632
$698
$916$1,274$1,537
91 Morgan County $632
$698
$916$1,138$1,537
92 Moultrie County $632
$698
$916$1,274$1,537
93 Perry County $632
$698
$916$1,148$1,537
94 Pike County $632
$698
$916$1,114$1,368
95 Randolph County $632
$698
$916$1,145$1,450
96 Scott County $632
$698
$916$1,098$1,213
97 Stephenson County $694
$698
$916$1,124$1,342
98 Union County $640
$698
$916$1,129$1,261
99 Wabash County $632
$698
$916$1,274$1,308
100 Warren County $632
$698
$916$1,156$1,537
101 Wayne County $632
$698
$916$1,098$1,537
102 White County $632
$698
$916$1,209$1,438

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Illinois? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Illinois is $854 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $1,063.
How does Illinois rent compare to the national average? ▼
Illinois rents are 11% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $854 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in Illinois? ▼
The most affordable county is Edwards County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $698. The most expensive is Will County at $1,581.
What income do I need to afford rent in Illinois? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $34,160/year ($2,847/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in Illinois.

Explore Illinois rent data

Rent burden → Rent growth → Cheapest counties → Most expensive counties → National rent-burden rankings → Affordability calculator →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for renters

Treat Illinois's FY2026 average Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.

  • Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 average 1-bedroom FMR of $854 implies about $34,160/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
  • Illinois's counties vary widely around this average -- compare specific counties before assuming this figure applies to yours. View county rankings
  • See where Illinois ranks nationally on rent. National rankings

Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. This is a state-level average across 102 counties; actual asking rents in any specific county can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.

Related

Browse all counties → | Rankings →
Data sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. See our methodology for details. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent data (huduser.gov). Median household income and homeownership rate: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (census.gov/programs-surveys/acs).

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.