Rents are 7% below what Arlington Heights's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,999 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Arlington Heights usually run 1.5% below trend in January and 1.4% above it in July, about $58 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in Arlington Heights is 0.3% below its high of $2,006 in July 2026, at $1,999 as of September 2026.
Rent in Arlington Heights changed +1.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 Illinois cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Arlington Heights rose 37.5% while median household income rose 21.2% ($96,340 to $116,723). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Arlington Heights is 44% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($116,723) is $2,918 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,615); a 4-bedroom is $3,070.
Maywood, 16 miles away, rents for 29% less ($1,419/mo), about $7,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Arlington Heights. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Arlington Heights, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 60.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Arlington Heights, IL has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Arlington Heights, IL stood at $1,402 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,999, reflecting a 42.6% increase over the period. Census figures show median household income at $116,723 today, compared with $106,996 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 1.7% since 2021, moving from about 77,283 residents to roughly 76,005. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Arlington Heights on your salary?
At $1,999/mo, how Arlington Heights rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Arlington Heights rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Arlington Heights. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Arlington Heights
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Arlington Heights is $1,999/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,690/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,035/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,800/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,615/mo.
At 21% of local median household income ($116,723/yr), Arlington Heights ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Arlington Heights?
At $1,999/mo, rent takes ~21% of Arlington Heights's median household income ($116,723/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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