Menard County, IL: Fair Market Rent 2027 and Income Limits

Official HUD figures for landlords and renters, effective October 1, 2026 (rents) and May 1, 2026 (income limits).

$1,2372-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$9771-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$91,90080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$114,900Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Menard County is $1,237 a month, up 2.8% from $1,203 in FY2026. Menard County belongs to the Springfield, IL MSA FMR area, so the same figures apply across that area. FMRs are gross rents: rent plus all tenant-paid utilities except phone, cable and internet.

Fair market rent in Menard County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$861	$829	+3.9%	$775 – $947
1 bedroom	$977	$970	+0.7%	$880 – $1,074
2 bedrooms	$1,237	$1,203	+2.8%	$1,114 – $1,360
3 bedrooms	$1,631	$1,611	+1.2%	$1,468 – $1,794
4 bedrooms	$1,728	$1,682	+2.7%	$1,556 – $1,900

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026) and FY2026 (revised file), details.

What can a landlord charge a Section 8 tenant here?

The FMR is not a cap on what you can ask on the open market. For a Housing Choice Voucher tenant, the local housing authority sets a payment standard, normally between 90% and 110% of the FMR (or of the ZIP-level Small Area FMR where those apply). For a two-bedroom unit in Menard County that is typically $1,114 to $1,360 including utilities. You can charge more than the payment standard if the rent passes the housing authority's rent-reasonableness test and, at move-in, the tenant's share stays within 40% of their adjusted monthly income. Ask the housing authority for its current payment standard schedule.

Can local renters afford the fair market rent?

$34,461median income of renter households

$885Median gross rent, all units

31%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

55%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $34,461 can afford about $862 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,237 is $375 (43.6%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $49,480 a year under the 30% rule, or $44,532 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Menard County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$885 ±$166
Median income of renter households	$34,461 ±$10,160
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	54.9% ±10.6
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	20.7% ±7.1
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	941

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$783	$885	+13.0%
Median renter household income	$34,208	$34,461	+0.7%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	39.2%	54.9%	+15.7 pts

Rent-to-income calculator: does an applicant qualify? → · Most affordable counties to rent in this state →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation.

Small Area FMRs by ZIP code (FY2027)

In metro areas HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area Fair Market Rents. Housing authorities in designated areas must use them for voucher payment standards; others may opt in. Here the two-bedroom SAFMR ranges from $1,090 to $1,860 depending on the ZIP code.

All 48 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
62515	$750	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,520
62520	$760	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,520
62530	$810	$920	$1,170	$1,540	$1,630
62536	$870	$990	$1,260	$1,650	$1,750
62539	$760	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,540
62545	$770	$880	$1,100	$1,450	$1,560
62548	$750	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,520
62558	$770	$880	$1,110	$1,460	$1,550
62561	$940	$1,070	$1,350	$1,780	$1,890
62563	$1,210	$1,370	$1,740	$2,290	$2,430
62612	$750	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,660
62613	$850	$960	$1,220	$1,610	$1,700
62615	$880	$1,000	$1,260	$1,660	$1,760
62625	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62629	$1,050	$1,190	$1,510	$1,990	$2,110
62642	$750	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,520
62659	$800	$910	$1,150	$1,520	$1,610
62661	$770	$880	$1,100	$1,450	$1,540
62666	$750	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,520
62670	$750	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,520
62673	$750	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,520
62675	$790	$900	$1,140	$1,500	$1,590
62677	$890	$1,010	$1,280	$1,690	$1,790
62684	$1,300	$1,470	$1,860	$2,450	$2,600
62688	$870	$990	$1,250	$1,650	$1,750
62689	$790	$900	$1,140	$1,500	$1,590
62690	$750	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,520
62692	$750	$880	$1,090	$1,450	$1,550
62693	$990	$1,120	$1,420	$1,860	$1,980
62701	$910	$1,030	$1,300	$1,710	$1,820
62702	$840	$950	$1,200	$1,580	$1,680
62703	$880	$1,000	$1,260	$1,660	$1,760
62704	$870	$990	$1,250	$1,650	$1,750
62705	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62706	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62707	$820	$930	$1,180	$1,560	$1,650
62708	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62711	$1,080	$1,220	$1,550	$2,040	$2,170
62712	$1,000	$1,130	$1,430	$1,890	$2,000
62719	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62726	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62736	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62756	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62764	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62776	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62781	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62791	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730
62796	$860	$980	$1,240	$1,630	$1,730

Source: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026).

HUD income limits for Menard County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $114,900 (FY2025: $114,700, +0.2%). Small figures under each limit show the change from FY2025.

Household size	1 person	2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people	7 people	8 people
Extremely low income (30%)	$24,150 +0.2%	$27,600 +0.2%	$31,050 +0.2%	$34,450 +0.1%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$40,250 +0.2%	$46,000 +0.2%	$51,750 +0.2%	$57,450 +0.2%	$62,050 +0.2%	$66,650 +0.2%	$71,250 +0.1%	$75,850 +0.1%
Low income (80%)	$64,350 +0.2%	$73,550 +0.2%	$82,750 +0.2%	$91,900 +0.2%	$99,300 +0.2%	$106,650 +0.2%	$114,000 +0.2%	$121,350 +0.2%

The 30% limit is HUD's “extremely low income” limit: the higher of 30% of median income or the federal poverty guideline, but never above the 50% limit. That is why it can rise faster than 30% of median for larger households. Tax-credit (LIHTC) properties use separate Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.

Source: HUD Section 8 Income Limits FY2026 (effective May 1, 2026) and FY2025, details.