City Report · IL

Machesney Park

Pop. 22,630·87th most expensive in Illinois·Machesney Park rents are up 23.8% over the past year

Median rent (all units)

$1,610/mo

Year-over-Year

+23.8%

Month-over-Month

-0.4%

vs US Median

-$322

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Machesney Park · $1,610

More affordable than 68% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Affordability

26% of income

AFFORDABLE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $1,610/mo, rent takes about 26% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$64,000/yr

Local median income

$75,489/yr

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

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$940

1 BR

$1,040

2 BR

$1,370

3 BR

$1,810

4 BR+

$1,860

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$1,370/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,610 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: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Past year vs. the rest of Illinois

Rent in Machesney Park changed +23.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 Illinois cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.0%.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($75,489) is $1,887 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,860).

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

Annual cost

$19,320/yr

At $1,610/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Strong Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are up 23.8% year-over-year. Expect competition, and move quickly to lock in terms.

Based on rent-price momentum (+23.8% YoY, -0.4% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Machesney Park, IL is majority owner-occupied, 19.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

22,630

Median income

$75,489

Median age

40.3

Renters

20.4%

Age distribution

23.6%

19.3%

27.3%

12.4%

17.4%

Under 1823.6%

18–3419.3%

35–5427.3%

55–6412.4%

65+17.4%

Gender

48.9%

51.1%

Male48.9%

Female51.1%

Race & ethnicity

84%

White84%

Black2%

Hispanic8.6%

Asian2.1%

Other3.2%

Education (25+)

34.8%

36.5%

19.4%

No HS diploma9.2%

HS diploma34.8%

Some college36.5%

Bachelor's+19.4%

Housing tenure

79.6%

20.4%

Owner79.6%

Renter20.4%

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

2021 vs 2026

How Machesney Park, IL has changed in 5 years

Income

$65,442 → $75,489

up 15.4%

Population

22,870 → 22,630

down 1.0%

Renter share

21.9% → 20.4%

-1.5 pts

Bachelor's+

17.6% → 19.4%

+1.8 pts

Median age

39.4 → 40.3

+0.9 yrs

Median household income rose from $65,442 to $75,489 between 2021 and 2024, a 15.4% shift. The population has contracted by 1.0% since 2021, moving from about 22,870 residents to roughly 22,630. Renters now make up 20.4% of households, compared with 21.9% five years ago.

Community

Discussions about Machesney Park

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View Machesney Park rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Machesney Park on your salary?

At $1,610/mo, how Machesney Park rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $96,370/yr · Rent = 20% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $68,422/yr · Rent = 28.2% income

affordable

Police Officer

Avg $78,815/yr · Rent = 24.5% income

affordable

Software Developer

Avg $140,872/yr · Rent = 13.7% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $179,999/yr · Rent = 10.7% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $64,066/yr · Rent = 30.2% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $57,844/yr · Rent = 33.4% income

stretched

Electrician

Avg $71,298/yr · Rent = 27.1% income

affordable

By apartment size

Machesney Park rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Machesney Park. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Machesney Park

About renting in Machesney Park, IL

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Machesney Park is $1,610/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $940/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,370/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,040/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,810/mo.

At 26% of local median household income ($75,489/yr), Machesney Park ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 23.8% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Machesney Park?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $64,000/year (about $31/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,610/mo in Machesney Park. The local median household income is $75,489/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in Machesney Park?

Rent in Machesney Park has risen 23.8% over the past year.

How does Machesney Park rent compare to other cities in Illinois?

Machesney Park is in the middle among Illinois cities for rent, ranking #87 of 137 tracked cities at $1,610/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in Machesney Park changed +23.8%, against a typical +4.0% across the 94 Illinois cities Zillow tracks.