Mercer 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).

$1,0562-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$8521-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$78,00080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$97,500Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in Mercer County is $1,056 a month, down 7.6% from $1,143 in FY2026. Mercer County belongs to the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-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 Mercer County by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$787	$817	−3.7%	$709 – $865
1 bedroom	$852	$928	−8.2%	$767 – $937
2 bedrooms	$1,056	$1,143	−7.6%	$951 – $1,161
3 bedrooms	$1,396	$1,498	−6.8%	$1,257 – $1,535
4 bedrooms	$1,697	$1,819	−6.7%	$1,528 – $1,866

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 Mercer County that is typically $951 to $1,161 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?

$37,500median income of renter households

$786Median gross rent, all units

25%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

38%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $37,500 can afford about $938 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,056 is $119 (12.6%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $42,240 a year under the 30% rule, or $38,016 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

Mercer County, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$786 ±$55
Median income of renter households	$37,500 ±$13,888
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	37.7% ±10.1
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	9.9% ±5.2
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	979

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$655	$786	+20.0%
Median renter household income	$32,907	$37,500	+14.0%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	39.5%	37.7%	−1.8 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 $1,030 to $1,580 depending on the ZIP code.

All 81 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
52722	$960	$1,040	$1,290	$1,710	$2,070
52726	$1,040	$1,130	$1,400	$1,830	$2,230
52728	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
52729	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
52745	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
52746	$950	$1,030	$1,280	$1,690	$2,060
52747	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
52748	$780	$850	$1,050	$1,390	$1,690
52753	$1,180	$1,280	$1,580	$2,090	$2,540
52756	$1,100	$1,260	$1,540	$2,020	$2,450
52758	$1,090	$1,180	$1,460	$1,930	$2,350
52765	$1,120	$1,210	$1,510	$1,990	$2,360
52767	$930	$1,010	$1,250	$1,650	$2,000
52768	$880	$950	$1,190	$1,570	$1,940
52769	$830	$890	$1,120	$1,460	$1,720
52773	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
52801	$820	$890	$1,100	$1,450	$1,770
52802	$840	$910	$1,130	$1,490	$1,820
52803	$760	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
52804	$790	$860	$1,060	$1,400	$1,700
52805	$820	$890	$1,100	$1,450	$1,770
52806	$840	$900	$1,120	$1,480	$1,800
52807	$780	$850	$1,050	$1,390	$1,690
52808	$820	$890	$1,100	$1,450	$1,770
52809	$820	$890	$1,100	$1,450	$1,770
61201	$780	$840	$1,040	$1,370	$1,670
61204	$770	$840	$1,030	$1,360	$1,660
61231	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61232	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61233	$750	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61234	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61235	$760	$870	$1,070	$1,400	$1,700
61236	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61237	$770	$840	$1,030	$1,360	$1,660
61238	$840	$910	$1,130	$1,490	$1,820
61239	$850	$920	$1,140	$1,510	$1,830
61240	$1,180	$1,280	$1,580	$2,090	$2,540
61241	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61242	$780	$860	$1,060	$1,390	$1,690
61244	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61250	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61254	$780	$850	$1,050	$1,390	$1,690
61256	$830	$910	$1,120	$1,470	$1,780
61257	$1,180	$1,280	$1,580	$2,090	$2,540
61258	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61259	$760	$840	$1,040	$1,350	$1,640
61260	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61262	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61263	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61264	$860	$930	$1,150	$1,520	$1,850
61265	$780	$850	$1,050	$1,390	$1,690
61266	$770	$840	$1,030	$1,360	$1,660
61272	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61273	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61274	$780	$850	$1,050	$1,390	$1,690
61275	$780	$850	$1,050	$1,390	$1,690
61276	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61277	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61278	$900	$1,020	$1,260	$1,640	$1,990
61279	$880	$950	$1,180	$1,560	$1,900
61281	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61282	$840	$900	$1,120	$1,480	$1,800
61283	$770	$840	$1,060	$1,370	$1,640
61284	$900	$1,020	$1,260	$1,630	$1,980
61344	$780	$860	$1,130	$1,390	$1,640
61361	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61401	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61412	$750	$840	$1,050	$1,350	$1,730
61413	$790	$860	$1,060	$1,400	$1,700
61414	$790	$840	$1,040	$1,350	$1,640
61419	$750	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61434	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61442	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61443	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61465	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61466	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61468	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61472	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640
61476	$920	$1,000	$1,240	$1,640	$1,990
61486	$780	$840	$1,040	$1,370	$1,670
61490	$740	$840	$1,030	$1,350	$1,640

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

HUD income limits for Mercer County (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $97,500 (FY2025: $98,900, −1.4%). 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%)	$20,500 −0.2%	$23,400 −0.2%	$27,320 +2.5%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$34,150 −0.1%	$39,000 −0.3%	$43,900 −0.2%	$48,750 −0.2%	$52,650 −0.3%	$56,550 −0.3%	$60,450 −0.2%	$64,350 −0.2%
Low income (80%)	$54,600 −0.3%	$62,400 −0.2%	$70,200 −0.2%	$78,000 −0.2%	$84,250 −0.2%	$90,500 −0.2%	$96,750 −0.2%	$103,000 −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.