Rents are 4% below what Vernon Hills'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 $2,587 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 Vernon Hills usually run 2.1% below trend in December and 1.9% above it in July, about $103 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in Vernon Hills is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2019.
Rent in Vernon Hills changed +3.7% 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 Vernon Hills rose 33.6% while median household income rose 17% ($104,199 to $121,943). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Vernon Hills is 44.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($121,943) is $3,049 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,380); a 3-bedroom is $3,060.
Libertyville, 4 miles away, rents for 15% less ($2,206/mo), about $4,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Vernon Hills. 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
Vernon Hills, IL is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 67.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Vernon Hills, IL has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Vernon Hills, IL has shifted from $1,832 to $2,587, up 41.2% since 2021. Census figures show median household income at $121,943 today, compared with $107,938 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 63.2% to 67.8% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $2,587/mo, how Vernon Hills rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Vernon Hills rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Vernon Hills. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Vernon Hills
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Vernon Hills is $2,587/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,970/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,380/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $2,110/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,060/mo.
At 25% of local median household income ($121,943/yr), Vernon Hills ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Vernon Hills?
At $2,587/mo, rent takes ~25% of Vernon Hills's median household income ($121,943/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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