Rents are 6% above what Urbana'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 $1,348 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
August. Asking rents in Urbana usually run 1.5% below trend in August and 0.8% above it in December, about $31 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Urbana is 0.1% below its high of $1,349 in August 2026, at $1,348 as of September 2026.
Rent in Urbana changed +5.6% 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 Urbana rose 32.1% while median household income rose 22.2% ($37,102 to $45,346). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Urbana is 44% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($45,346) is $1,134 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,040); a 3-bedroom is $1,355.
Rantoul, 13 miles away, rents for 32% less ($921/mo), about $5,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Urbana. 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.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Urbana, IL is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 56.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Urbana, IL has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Urbana, IL paid around $956 a month. That figure now sits near $1,348, up 41.0% from the 2021 baseline. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $37,701 in 2021 to $45,346 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 66.2% to 62.7%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 59.5% to 56.7% across the same window. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Urbana, IL market of 2021.
Discussions about Urbana
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Urbana on your salary?
At $1,348/mo, how Urbana rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Urbana rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Urbana. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Urbana
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Urbana is $1,348/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $870/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,040/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $875/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,355/mo.
At 36% of local median household income ($45,346/yr), Urbana ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Urbana?
Is rent going up or down in Urbana?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Urbana?
Has rent outpaced income in Urbana?
Which Urbana neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Urbana rent compare to other cities in Illinois?
At $1,348/mo, rent takes ~36% of Urbana's median household income ($45,346/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Urbana.
No discussions yet.