Rents are 5% below what Calumet City'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 $1,536 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
Rent in Calumet City is 1.7% below its high of $1,562 in June 2026, at $1,536 as of September 2026.
Rent in Calumet City changed +1.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 Illinois cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.0%.
Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($55,369) is $1,384 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,270); a 2-bedroom is $1,430.
Riverdale, 5 miles away, rents for 20% less ($1,233/mo), about $3,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Calumet City. 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
Calumet City, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 21.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Calumet City, IL has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Calumet City, IL stood at $1,236 in 2023 and currently runs about $1,536, reflecting a 24.3% increase over the period. Median household income rose from $52,994 to $55,369 between 2021 and 2024, a 4.5% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 2.7% since 2021, moving from about 36,065 residents to roughly 35,100. Renters now make up 44.3% of households, compared with 41.3% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 21.4% of adults here, versus 19% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in Calumet City, IL reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Calumet City on your salary?
At $1,536/mo, how Calumet City rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Calumet City rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Calumet City. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Calumet City
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Calumet City is $1,536/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,180/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,430/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,270/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,840/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($55,369/yr), Calumet City ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Calumet City?
How does Calumet City rent compare to other cities in Illinois?
At $1,536/mo, rent takes ~33% of Calumet City's median household income ($55,369/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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