Rents are right about where Northbrook's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $3,014 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
March. Asking rents in Northbrook usually run 0.8% below trend in March and 1.3% above it in August, about $63 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in Northbrook is 0.5% below its high of $3,028 in August 2026, at $3,014 as of September 2026.
Rent in Northbrook changed +4.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 Illinois cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.0%.
Rent in Northbrook is 51.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($157,782) is $3,945 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($3,580).
Glenview, 4 miles away, rents for 14% less ($2,601/mo), about $5,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Northbrook. 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
Northbrook, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 72.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Northbrook, IL has changed in 5 years
Rent in Northbrook, IL has increased 41.8% since 2021, going from about $2,126 per month to roughly $3,014 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in Northbrook, IL now reports about $157,782, up from $143,506 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 31.9 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 35,108 to 34,585 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.5% change. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Northbrook, IL reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $3,014/mo, how Northbrook rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Northbrook rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Northbrook. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Northbrook
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Northbrook is $3,014/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,960/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,370/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,100/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,040/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($157,782/yr), Northbrook ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Northbrook rent compare to other cities in Illinois?
At $3,014/mo, rent takes ~23% of Northbrook's median household income ($157,782/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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