ZIP Code · IL

ZIP 61801

Part of Urbana, IL

Pop. 27,891·Champaign County·188th most expensive ZIP in Illinois

Median rent (all units)

$1,291/mo

Year-over-Year

+5.4%

Month-over-Month

+0.3%

vs US Median

-$641

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

Be the first to discuss 61801 rents ↓

Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 61801 · $1,291

More affordable than 87% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$910

1 BR

$920

2 BR

$1,090

3 BR

$1,400

4 BR+

$1,440

Research median

$1,090/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 61801 is 0.4% below its high of $1,296 in July 2026, at $1,291 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Illinois

Rent in ZIP 61801 changed +5.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 172 Illinois ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.7%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($36,180) is $905 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($910).

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 61801. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$15,492/yr

At $1,291/mo median

Location

CityUrbana

StateIL

CountyChampaign County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (5.4% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+5.4% YoY, +0.3% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 61801 (Urbana, IL) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 62.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

27,891

Median income

$36,180

Median age

24.2

Renters

66.7%

Age distribution

60.7%

13.3%

Under 1811.2%

18–3460.7%

35–5413.3%

55–644.9%

65+9.9%

Gender

50.8%

49.2%

Male50.8%

Female49.2%

Race & ethnicity

56.2%

16.4%

16.3%

White56.2%

Black16.4%

Hispanic10.8%

Asian16.3%

Education (25+)

15.4%

17.1%

62.7%

No HS diploma4.8%

HS diploma15.4%

Some college17.1%

Bachelor's+62.7%

Housing tenure

33.3%

66.7%

Owner33.3%

Renter66.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2022 vs 2026

How ZIP 61801 in Urbana, IL has changed in 5 years

Rent

$979 → $1,291

up 31.9%

Income

$31,843 → $36,180

up 13.6%

Population

28,234 → 27,891

down 1.2%

Renter share

69.2% → 66.7%

-2.5 pts

Bachelor's+

65.5% → 62.7%

-2.8 pts

Since 2022, the typical rent in ZIP 61801 in Urbana, IL has climbed from $979 to $1,291, a 31.9% change over five years. Median household income rose from $31,843 to $36,180 between 2021 and 2024, a 13.6% shift. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 1.2% since 2021, moving from about 28,234 residents to roughly 27,891. Renters now make up 66.7% of households, compared with 69.2% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 62.7% of adults here, versus 65.5% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 61801 in Urbana, 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.

Community

Discussions about ZIP 61801

No discussions yet. Start the conversation.

Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 61801

About renting in ZIP 61801

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 61801 covers Urbana, IL. The median rent here is $1,291/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $920/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,090/mo.

At 43% of local median household income ($36,180/yr), ZIP 61801 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.4% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 61801?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $52,000/year (about $25/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,291/mo in ZIP 61801. The local median household income is $36,180/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 61801?

Rent in ZIP 61801 has risen 5.4% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.4% below its high of $1,296 in July 2026.

How does ZIP 61801 compare to other ZIPs in Illinois?

ZIP 61801 is one of the more affordable among Illinois ZIP codes for rent, ranking #188 of 227 at $1,291/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 61801 changed +5.4%, against a typical +4.7% across the 172 Illinois ZIP codes Zillow tracks.