Rents are 2% above what Plainfield'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 $3,027 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
January. Asking rents in Plainfield usually run 0.8% below trend in January and 0.5% above it in July, about $39 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Plainfield is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Plainfield changed +2.8% 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 Plainfield rose 41.4% while median household income rose 10.2% ($130,614 to $144,000). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Plainfield is 56.2% 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 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($144,000) is $3,600 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($3,165); a 4-bedroom is $3,685.
Joliet, 6 miles away, rents for 45% less ($1,675/mo), about $16,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Plainfield. 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
Plainfield, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 56% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Plainfield, IL has changed in 5 years
Rent in Plainfield, IL has climbed 41.1% since 2021, going from about $2,146 per month to roughly $3,027 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $134,814 in 2021 to $144,000 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 34.3 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 44,296 to 46,708 between 2021 and 2024, a 5.4% change. About 12% of households rent today, against 9.1% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Plainfield, IL market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Plainfield on your salary?
At $3,027/mo, how Plainfield rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Plainfield rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Plainfield. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Plainfield
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Plainfield is $3,027/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $2,015/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,455/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,155/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,165/mo.
At 25% of local median household income ($144,000/yr), Plainfield ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Plainfield?
At $3,027/mo, rent takes ~25% of Plainfield's median household income ($144,000/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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