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Rockford, IL

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Rockford, IL is $1,175 per month, ranking #409 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $66,571, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 21.2% of income on housing. Rent in Rockford has increased 14.0% year over year. The area has a population of 337K, with 32.2% of households renting.

21.2%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,175
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$66,571
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$988
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+14%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
337K
Population
Census ACS
32.2%
Renters
of occupied housing
$162,600
Median Home Value
7.3%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
15.1%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$810
Studio
$895
1 Bedroom
$1,175
2 Bedroom
$1,555
3 Bedroom
$1,594
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Rockford, IL, a household earning the area median income of $66,571 would spend 21.2% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$47,000
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$23
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$988
$187 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+47.1% since 2021
$7992021$8362022$9352023$1,0312024$1,1812025$1,1752026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Illinois is $14.00/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 64.6 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Rockford is 15.1%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$14.00/hr
Hours/Week Needed
64.6 hrs
Poverty Rate
15.1%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Rockford is $162,600. At a median income of $66,571, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.4x. 7.3% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,138 est. mortgage
vs $1,175 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
7.3%
of housing units

Other Areas in Illinois

Kendall County
$2,050/mo
2BR FMR · 27.7% burden
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville
$1,781/mo
2BR FMR · 24.1% burden
Grundy County
$1,459/mo
2BR FMR · 19.7% burden
DeKalb County
$1,373/mo
2BR FMR · 18.5% burden
Kankakee
$1,326/mo
2BR FMR · 23.3% burden

Compare Rockford

vs Kendall County, ILvs Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, ILvs Grundy County, IL

Areas With Similar Rent to Rockford

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Rockford, IL is $1,175 per month. A studio is $810/mo, a 1-bedroom is $895/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,555/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $988/mo.

Rockford has a rent burden of 21.2%, meaning a household earning the median income of $66,571 would spend 21.2% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $47,000.

Rockford's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,175/mo is $75 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Rockford ranks #409 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Rockford without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $47,000, or a full-time hourly wage of $23/hour. The area median income is $66,571.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Rockford increased by 14.0% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.