Rents are 3% above what Evanston's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
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 $2,438 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 Evanston is 0.2% below its high of $2,443 in August 2026, at $2,438 as of September 2026.
Rent in Evanston changed +3.6% 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 Evanston rose 29.4% while median household income rose 22.2% ($78,904 to $96,434). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Evanston is 40.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($96,434) is $2,411 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,240); a 3-bedroom is $2,875.
Elmwood Park, 10 miles away, rents for 26% less ($1,811/mo), about $7,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Evanston. 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
Evanston, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 69.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Evanston, IL has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Evanston, IL has shifted from $1,790 to $2,438, up 36.2% since 2021. On the earnings side, the typical household in Evanston, IL now reports about $96,434, up from $87,345 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Evanston, IL losing about 2,114 residents over the five-year window, down 2.7% on net. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Evanston, IL reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $2,438/mo, how Evanston rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Evanston rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Evanston. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Evanston
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Evanston is $2,438/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,855/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,240/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,985/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,875/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($96,434/yr), Evanston ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Evanston rent compare to other cities in Illinois?
At $2,438/mo, rent takes ~30% of Evanston's median household income ($96,434/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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