Rents are right about where Aurora's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $2,294 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
December. Asking rents in Aurora usually run 0.9% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in July, about $37 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Aurora is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Aurora changed +3.0% 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 Aurora rose 40.5% while median household income rose 30.5% ($71,749 to $93,633). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Aurora is 49% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($93,633) is $2,341 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,102); a 3-bedroom is $2,718.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Aurora, 60503 ($2,661/mo), costs 1.6 times the cheapest, 60505 ($1,619/mo).
Geneva, 9 miles away, rents for 13% less ($2,002/mo), about $3,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Aurora. 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
Aurora, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 38.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Aurora, IL has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Aurora, IL stood at $1,632 in 2021 and currently runs about $2,294, reflecting a 40.6% increase over the period. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $79,642 in 2021 to $93,633 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 1.9% since 2021, moving from about 183,447 residents to roughly 179,898. College-educated residents now make up 38.5% of adults here, versus 34.8% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Aurora, IL market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Aurora on your salary?
At $2,294/mo, how Aurora rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Aurora rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Aurora. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Aurora
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Aurora is $2,294/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,730/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,102/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,844/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,718/mo.
At 29% of local median household income ($93,633/yr), Aurora ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Aurora?
At $2,294/mo, rent takes ~29% of Aurora's median household income ($93,633/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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