Rents are 6% above what Joliet'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 $1,675 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
February. Asking rents in Joliet usually run 0.8% below trend in February and 0.6% above it in May, about $23 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Joliet is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Joliet changed +6.3% 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 Joliet rose 37.9% while median household income rose 30.8% ($70,509 to $92,201). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Joliet is 54.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($92,201) is $2,305 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,060); a 4-bedroom is $2,410.
Blue Island, 24 miles away, rents for 15% less ($1,420/mo), about $3,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Joliet. 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
Joliet, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 25.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Joliet, IL has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Joliet, IL paid around $1,169 a month. That figure now sits near $1,675, up 43.3% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in Joliet, IL now reports about $92,201, up from $77,373 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 29.5% to 26.3%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Joliet, IL reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $1,675/mo, how Joliet rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Joliet rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Joliet. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Joliet
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Joliet is $1,675/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,330/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,600/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,420/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,060/mo.
At 22% of local median household income ($92,201/yr), Joliet ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Joliet rent compare to other cities in Illinois?
At $1,675/mo, rent takes ~22% of Joliet's median household income ($92,201/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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