Rents are 5% below what Rolling Meadows's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
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 $2,061 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 Rolling Meadows is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in December 2022.
Rent in Rolling Meadows changed +6.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 Illinois cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.0%.
Rent has risen 9 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($98,514) is $2,463 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,950); a 3-bedroom is $2,500.
Mount Prospect, 4 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,835/mo), about $2,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Rolling Meadows. 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
Rolling Meadows, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 43.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Rolling Meadows, IL has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Rolling Meadows, IL paid around $1,764 a month. That figure now sits near $2,061, up 16.8% from the 2023 baseline. Median household income climbed from $81,601 to $98,514 between 2021 and 2024, a 20.7% shift. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show Rolling Meadows, IL losing about 273 residents over the five-year window, down 1.1% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 36.3% to 43.7% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Rolling Meadows, IL reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Rolling Meadows on your salary?
At $2,061/mo, how Rolling Meadows rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Rolling Meadows rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Rolling Meadows. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Rolling Meadows
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Rolling Meadows is $2,061/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,620/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,950/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,730/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,500/mo.
At 25% of local median household income ($98,514/yr), Rolling Meadows ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Rolling Meadows?
Is rent going up or down in Rolling Meadows?
How does Rolling Meadows rent compare to other cities in Illinois?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Rolling Meadows?
At $2,061/mo, rent takes ~25% of Rolling Meadows's median household income ($98,514/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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