Rents are 7% below what Carol Stream'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 $1,844 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 Carol Stream usually run 2.6% below trend in December and 1.6% above it in June, about $77 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Carol Stream is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in August 2021.
Rent in Carol Stream changed +3.9% 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 ($102,309) is $2,558 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,410); a 4-bedroom is $2,840.
Woodridge, 13 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,638/mo), about $2,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Carol Stream. 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
Carol Stream, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 42.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Carol Stream, IL has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Carol Stream, IL paid around $1,459 a month. That figure now sits near $1,844, up 26.4% from the 2022 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $102,309 today, compared with $95,342 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Carol Stream, IL losing about 435 residents over the five-year window, down 1.1% on net. The renter share has risen from 30.9% to 32.7%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2022.
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At $1,844/mo, how Carol Stream rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Carol Stream rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Carol Stream. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Carol Stream
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Carol Stream is $1,844/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,560/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,880/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,670/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,410/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($102,309/yr), Carol Stream ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Carol Stream rent compare to other cities in Illinois?
At $1,844/mo, rent takes ~22% of Carol Stream's median household income ($102,309/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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