Rents are 3% below what Skokie'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 $2,371 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
December. Asking rents in Skokie usually run 0.8% below trend in December and 0.9% above it in July, about $40 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Skokie is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in December 2020.
Rent in Skokie changed +5.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 Illinois cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.0%.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($95,337) is $2,383 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,380); a 4-bedroom is $2,800.
Des Plaines, 8 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,079/mo), about $3,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Skokie. 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
Skokie, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 53.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Skokie, IL has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Skokie, IL has shifted from $1,708 to $2,371, up 38.8% since 2021. On the earnings side, the typical household in Skokie, IL now reports about $95,337, up from $80,543 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Skokie, IL losing about 1,225 residents over the five-year window, down 1.8% on net. The renter share has eased from 27.6% to 25.3%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 49.4% to 53.8% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Skokie, IL reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Skokie on your salary?
At $2,371/mo, how Skokie rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Skokie rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Skokie. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Skokie
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Skokie is $2,371/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,535/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,855/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,640/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,380/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($95,337/yr), Skokie ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Skokie rent compare to other cities in Illinois?
At $2,371/mo, rent takes ~30% of Skokie's median household income ($95,337/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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