Section 8 in Chicago, IL: FMR & Landlord Guide
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (CBSA 16980). FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, housing authorities and wait-list status, and source-of-income law. Every figure below links back to its source.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards (what a PHA actually pays) are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at PHA discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,480 | $1,332 – $1,628 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,581 | $1,423 – $1,739 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,781 | $1,603 – $1,959 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,294 | $2,065 – $2,523 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,653 | $2,388 – $2,918 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Chicago, IL covers up to $1,781 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $1,603–$1,959.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means voucher holders are placed and reliably paying rent, a stable but competitive tenant pool for accepting landlords.
Housing authorities serving Chicago, IL
15 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Wait-list CLOSED
Chicago Housing Authority
Chicago, IL · IL002 · 54,082 HCV units
CHA HCV wait list is closed between lottery rounds. The 2024 lottery accepted applications Nov 6–Dec 4 2024; closed again afterward. Watch the CHA homepage for future lottery announcements.
- Status unknown
Housing Authority Cook County
Chicago, IL · IL025 · 14,142 HCV units
- Status unknown
DuPage Housing Authority
Wheaton, IL · IL101 · 3,360 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the County of Lake, IL.
Grayslake, IL · IL056 · 3,282 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of Joliet
Joliet, IL · IL024 · 2,797 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Gary Indiana
Gary, IN · IN011 · 2,527 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Aurora
Aurora, IL · IL090 · 1,499 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of Elgin
Elgin, IL · IL092 · 1,164 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of East Chicago
East Chicago, IN · IN029 · 1,147 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Waukegan
Waukegan, IL · IL026 · 1,115 HCV units
- Status unknown
McHenry County Housing Authority
Crystal Lake, IL · IL116 · 1,001 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of Hammond
Hammond, IN · IN010 · 898 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority Of The County Of DeKalb
Dekalb, IL · IL089 · 606 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the Village of Oak Park
Oak Park, IL · IL103 · 546 HCV units
- Status unknown
Housing Authority of the City of North Chicago, IL
North Chicago, IL · IL107 · 546 HCV units
Source-of-income law in IL
IL state law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to Section 8 voucher holders on the basis of their source of income.
IL Human Rights Act amendment · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Chicago, IL property
Look up the address’s SAFMR (ZIP-level rent), plug the numbers into the voucher-vs-market analyzer, and check the HQS pre-inspection list before scheduling.