City Report · IL

East Alton

Pop. 5,689·133rd most expensive in Illinois·One of the most affordable rental markets in the US

Median rent (all units)

$900/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+5.9%

vs US Median

-$1,032

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

East Alton · $900

More affordable than 99% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Affordability

22% of income

VERY AFFORDABLE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $900/mo, rent takes about 22% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$36,000/yr

Local median income

$48,815/yr

Based on the 30%-of-income rule using East Alton's median rent and household income. See the full affordability breakdown →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$840

1 BR

$880

2 BR

$1,090

3 BR

$1,410

4 BR+

$1,640

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$1,090/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $900 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 →

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: September 25, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($48,815) is $1,220 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,090); a 3-bedroom is $1,410.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for East Alton. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$10,800/yr

At $900/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Strong Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are up 0.0% year-over-year. Expect competition, and move quickly to lock in terms.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, +5.9% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

East Alton, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 16.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

5,689

Median income

$48,815

Median age

45.2

Renters

43.5%

Age distribution

18.7%

23.9%

22%

19.8%

15.6%

Under 1818.7%

18–3423.9%

35–5422%

55–6419.8%

65+15.6%

Gender

46.1%

53.9%

Male46.1%

Female53.9%

Race & ethnicity

90.2%

White90.2%

Black0.8%

Hispanic3.8%

Other5.3%

Education (25+)

14.3%

33.6%

35.7%

16.4%

No HS diploma14.3%

HS diploma33.6%

Some college35.7%

Bachelor's+16.4%

Housing tenure

56.5%

43.5%

Owner56.5%

Renter43.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How East Alton, IL has changed in 5 years

Income

$47,089 → $48,815

up 3.7%

Population

5,887 → 5,689

down 3.4%

Renter share

37% → 43.5%

+6.5 pts

Bachelor's+

15.1% → 16.4%

+1.3 pts

Median household income grew from $47,089 to $48,815 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.7% shift. Headcount in the area went from 5,887 to 5,689 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.4% change. About 43.5% of households rent today, against 37% in 2021.

Community

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View East Alton rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in East Alton on your salary?

At $900/mo, how East Alton rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $96,370/yr · Rent = 11.2% income

very comfortable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $68,422/yr · Rent = 15.8% income

very comfortable

Police Officer

Avg $78,815/yr · Rent = 13.7% income

very comfortable

Software Developer

Avg $140,872/yr · Rent = 7.7% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $179,999/yr · Rent = 6% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $64,066/yr · Rent = 16.9% income

very comfortable

Truck Driver

Avg $57,844/yr · Rent = 18.7% income

very comfortable

Electrician

Avg $71,298/yr · Rent = 15.1% income

very comfortable

By apartment size

East Alton rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in East Alton. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in East Alton

About renting in East Alton, IL

Last updated: September 25, 2026

The median rent in East Alton is $900/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $840/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,090/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $880/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,410/mo.

At 22% of local median household income ($48,815/yr), East Alton ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in East Alton?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $36,000/year (about $17/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $900/mo in East Alton. The local median household income is $48,815/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.