HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Knox County, Illinois (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Knox County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $916 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Knox keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$916
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$824 to $1,008
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$36,640
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Illinois
81st of 102
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Knox moves to $930. That's up 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Knox actually rent for?
Search any address in Knox for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
FY 2026 Fair Market Rents
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $694 | $625 to $763 | $27,760 | $13.35/hr | +6.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $698 | $628 to $768 | $27,920 | $13.42/hr | +5.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $916 | $824 to $1,008 | $36,640 | $17.62/hr | +5.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,199 | $1,079 to $1,319 | $47,960 | $23.06/hr | +6.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,213 | $1,092 to $1,334 | $48,520 | $23.33/hr | +5.2% |
5 to 8 bedrooms (PropMetrics estimates)
HUD stops at four bedrooms. These add 15% of the four-bedroom rent per extra bedroom. It's our estimate, not a HUD number.
| Bedrooms | Estimated FMR | Payment standard |
|---|---|---|
| 5 bedroom Estimate | $1,395 | $1,256 to $1,535 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,577 | $1,419 to $1,735 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,759 | $1,583 to $1,935 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,941 | $1,747 to $2,135 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Fair Market Rent is HUD's estimate of what a modest, decent unit rents for in an area, utilities included. It's set once a year and runs October to September. For FY 2026 that's October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. In Knox, that runs from $694 for a studio up to $1,213 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Knox sits outside any HUD metro area, its rate is a county-wide figure built from local rents. One number covers every address in the county, Galesburg included.
Among Illinois's 102 counties, Knox ranks 81st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 4% below the state median of $953 and about 10% below the national median county at $1,018. About 49,751 people live here, 29th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $920 in 61402 (Galesburg) and $1,200 in 61436 (Gilson), with the 17 ZIP codes in between. Housing authorities in HUD-designated metros use those ZIP rates instead of the county rate. Everywhere else the ZIP numbers show where rents actually sit, and the county rate stays the official standard.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61401 | Galesburg | $930 | +1.5% |
| 61402 | Galesburg | $920 | +0.4% |
| 61410 | Abingdon | $920 | +0.4% |
| 61414 | Altona | $980 | +7.0% |
| 61428 | Dahinda | $920 | +0.4% |
| 61430 | East Galesburg | $940 | +2.6% |
| 61436 | Gilson | $1,200 | +31.0% |
| 61439 | Henderson | $1,050 | +14.6% |
| 61448 | Knoxville | $920 | +0.4% |
| 61458 | Maquon | $960 | +4.8% |
| 61467 | Oneida | $1,040 | +13.5% |
| 61472 | Rio | $930 | +1.5% |
| 61474 | Saint Augustine | $940 | +2.6% |
| 61485 | Victoria | $930 | +1.5% |
| 61488 | Wataga | $920 | +0.4% |
| 61489 | Williamsfield | $920 | +0.4% |
| 61572 | Yates City | $1,040 | +13.5% |
What a voucher pays here
The voucher doesn't pay the FMR itself. It pays the payment standard. Housing authorities set it anywhere from 90% to 110% of FMR, which puts a two-bedroom standard in Knox somewhere between $824 and $1,008. The tenant pays roughly 30% of their income, the voucher covers the rest up to the standard, and the PHA won't approve a rent above what comparable unassisted units get.
$916 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $36,640 a year. Put another way, $18 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom, assuming the rent equals the payment standard. Tenant pays 30% of monthly income, HUD's housing assistance payment covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | HAP at 90% ($824) | HAP at 100% ($916) | HAP at 110% ($1,008) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $74 | $166 | $258 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2025 ($870) to FY 2026 ($916). Since FY 2020 it's up 31% in total, about 4.6% a year. The Illinois median moved up 6% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $455 | $530 | $698 | $942 | $946 | — |
| FY 2021 | $462 | $531 | $700 | $933 | $949 | +0.3% |
| FY 2022 | $508 | $559 | $735 | $976 | $997 | +5.0% |
| FY 2023 | $547 | $588 | $774 | $1,012 | $1,040 | +5.3% |
| FY 2024 | $596 | $614 | $807 | $1,055 | $1,075 | +4.3% |
| FY 2025 | $653 | $663 | $870 | $1,130 | $1,153 | +7.8% |
| FY 2026 | $694 | $698 | $916 | $1,199 | $1,213 | +5.3% |
| FY 2027 | $703 | $711 | $930 | $1,204 | $1,241 | +1.5% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$916 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $694 for a studio, $698 for one bedroom, $1,199 for three and $1,213 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Look up any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count.
Section 8 rent calculator
Work out the payment standard and tenant share for a specific rent.
What is Fair Market Rent?
How HUD calculates FMR and what it means for landlords.
Rent affordability calculator
See what income a household needs for a given rent.
What does a rental in Knox actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Knox for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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