Rents are right about where Carbondale's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
Bedroom figures are derived from HUD Fair Market Rents and scaled to match Carbondale's market median, because the published HUD values all ran above it. They are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Carbondale is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in August 2022.
Rent in Carbondale changed +4.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 Illinois cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.0%.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($32,128) is $803 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($800); a 2-bedroom is $1,010.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Carbondale. 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
Carbondale, IL is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 48.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Carbondale, IL has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2023, rent in Carbondale, IL has climbed by $86 per month, settling near $673 after starting the period at $587. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $24,452 in 2021 to $32,128 more recently. Income growth outran rent by about 16.7 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 22,388 to 22,158 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.0% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 45.4% to 48.2%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Carbondale, IL market of 2023.
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Can you afford rent in Carbondale on your salary?
At $673/mo, how Carbondale rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Carbondale rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Carbondale. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Carbondale
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Carbondale is $673/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $447/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $645/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $511/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $842/mo.
At 25% of local median household income ($32,128/yr), Carbondale ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Carbondale?
Is rent going up or down in Carbondale?
How does Carbondale rent compare to other cities in Illinois?
At $673/mo, rent takes ~25% of Carbondale's median household income ($32,128/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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