Most affordable counties to rent in Illinois
Ranked by how much of the typical renter household's income the typical rent takes. Hamilton County is the most affordable at 16.7%; Champaign County the least affordable at 37.7%.
| County | Rent-to-income | Median gross rent | Median renter income | Renters paying 30%+ | 2 BR FMR FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hamilton County | 16.7% | $568 | $40,833 | 21% | $930 |
| 2. Edgar County | 19.5% | $775 | $47,736 | 34% | $930 |
| 3. Washington County | 19.9% | $818 | $49,338 | 29% | $930 |
| 4. Shelby County | 20.0% | $814 | $48,854 | 32% | $946 |
| 5. Effingham County | 20.1% | $733 | $43,823 | 34% | $930 |
| 6. Clay County | 20.2% | $735 | $43,750 | 23% | $930 |
| 7. Warren County | 20.4% | $788 | $46,250 | 35% | $930 |
| 8. Bond County | 21.3% | $785 | $44,328 | 33% | $979 |
| 9. Moultrie County | 21.8% | $804 | $44,206 | 34% | $930 |
| 10. Cumberland County | 23.0% | $772 | $40,363 | 36% | $930 |
| 11. Iroquois County | 23.0% | $799 | $41,597 | 43% | $930 |
| 12. Lawrence County | 23.3% | $836 | $42,994 | 35% | $943 |
| 13. Grundy County | 23.5% | $1,177 | $60,212 | 40% | $1,613 |
| 14. Henry County | 23.5% | $842 | $43,052 | 40% | $1,056 |
| 15. Lee County | 23.5% | $894 | $45,566 | 42% | $930 |
| 16. Douglas County | 23.6% | $848 | $43,207 | 33% | $930 |
| 17. Livingston County | 24.2% | $880 | $43,576 | 35% | $996 |
| 18. Morgan County | 24.3% | $722 | $35,630 | 33% | $930 |
| 19. Logan County | 24.5% | $829 | $40,585 | 47% | $962 |
| 20. Cass County | 24.6% | $723 | $35,265 | 29% | $930 |
| 21. Randolph County | 24.6% | $780 | $38,003 | 44% | $930 |
| 22. Stephenson County | 24.9% | $798 | $38,469 | 43% | $930 |
| 23. Clinton County | 25.0% | $912 | $43,750 | 37% | $1,349 |
| 24. Bureau County | 25.6% | $832 | $39,063 | 34% | $981 |
| 25. Fayette County | 25.6% | $798 | $37,346 | 52% | $930 |
| 26. Ogle County | 25.7% | $936 | $43,670 | 38% | $1,080 |
| 27. Fulton County | 25.7% | $785 | $36,593 | 46% | $930 |
| 28. Tazewell County | 26.0% | $909 | $42,033 | 43% | $1,212 |
| 29. Macoupin County | 26.3% | $801 | $36,612 | 38% | $978 |
| 30. Williamson County | 26.6% | $930 | $41,978 | 46% | $996 |
| 31. Christian County | 26.7% | $785 | $35,218 | 36% | $939 |
| 32. Perry County | 26.8% | $728 | $32,585 | 49% | $930 |
| 33. Jefferson County | 27.3% | $885 | $38,918 | 43% | $994 |
| 34. Macon County | 27.4% | $847 | $37,061 | 40% | $1,091 |
| 35. White County | 27.5% | $719 | $31,359 | 41% | $930 |
| 36. Coles County | 27.5% | $780 | $34,019 | 43% | $950 |
| 37. Jo Daviess County | 27.6% | $825 | $35,884 | 41% | $959 |
| 38. Montgomery County | 27.8% | $723 | $31,232 | 46% | $930 |
| 39. Whiteside County | 27.9% | $856 | $36,779 | 46% | $945 |
| 40. DuPage County | 28.1% | $1,688 | $72,048 | 45% | $2,011 |
| 41. Marshall County | 28.1% | $782 | $33,357 | 41% | $1,212 |
| 42. Madison County | 28.2% | $1,024 | $43,643 | 47% | $1,349 |
| 43. La Salle County | 28.2% | $928 | $39,487 | 43% | $1,052 |
| 44. Marion County | 28.2% | $794 | $33,769 | 43% | $930 |
| 45. Knox County | 28.3% | $788 | $33,454 | 52% | $930 |
| 46. Adams County | 28.4% | $828 | $34,942 | 41% | $1,013 |
| 47. Greene County | 28.6% | $754 | $31,607 | 38% | $965 |
| 48. Sangamon County | 28.7% | $983 | $41,044 | 46% | $1,237 |
| 49. St. Clair County | 29.1% | $1,090 | $44,921 | 48% | $1,349 |
| 50. Kane County | 29.2% | $1,453 | $59,788 | 50% | $2,011 |
| 51. Union County | 29.2% | $648 | $26,654 | 48% | $930 |
| 52. Boone County | 29.3% | $1,041 | $42,572 | 46% | $1,172 |
| 53. Lake County | 29.4% | $1,477 | $60,278 | 49% | $2,011 |
| 54. Rock Island County | 29.4% | $889 | $36,278 | 48% | $1,056 |
| 55. McHenry County | 29.6% | $1,401 | $56,791 | 51% | $2,011 |
| 56. Wayne County | 30.0% | $657 | $26,314 | 41% | $930 |
| 57. Clark County | 30.1% | $861 | $34,367 | 47% | $1,011 |
| 58. McLean County | 30.1% | $1,009 | $40,204 | 45% | $1,287 |
| 59. Winnebago County | 30.3% | $1,021 | $40,502 | 50% | $1,172 |
| 60. Kendall County | 30.5% | $1,781 | $70,152 | 52% | $2,341 |
| 61. Vermilion County | 31.0% | $838 | $32,465 | 46% | $956 |
| 62. Cook County | 31.1% | $1,435 | $55,388 | 49% | $2,011 |
| 63. Kankakee County | 31.1% | $1,097 | $42,313 | 47% | $1,349 |
| 64. Jackson County | 31.6% | $782 | $29,731 | 50% | $930 |
| 65. Peoria County | 31.8% | $993 | $37,413 | 47% | $1,212 |
| 66. Will County | 32.7% | $1,462 | $53,701 | 52% | $2,011 |
| 67. Saline County | 32.8% | $726 | $26,548 | 51% | $930 |
| 68. Franklin County | 33.5% | $803 | $28,790 | 52% | $930 |
| 69. Massac County | 33.6% | $756 | $27,028 | 51% | $993 |
| 70. McDonough County | 33.9% | $761 | $26,931 | 48% | $930 |
| 71. DeKalb County | 35.1% | $1,049 | $35,877 | 57% | $1,481 |
| 72. Ford County | 35.3% | $923 | $31,349 | 44% | $930 |
| 73. Champaign County | 37.7% | $1,051 | $33,434 | 54% | $1,173 |
Rent-to-income = median gross rent × 12 ÷ median household income of renters. Both are medians of different households, so this is an area comparison, not the burden of any one household. 29 of 102 counties are left out because they have fewer than 500 renter households, a Census margin of error is too large (coefficient of variation above 15%) or a figure is not published.
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. FMR: HUD FY2027.
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