Illinois · FIPS 17131 · HUD FY 2027
Mercer County, Illinois Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Mercer County is $1,056 a month (rent plus utilities), 39% below the Illinois average of $1,724 and 40% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is down $87 (7.6%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $42,240 a year to afford it.
- $1,0562-bedroom FMR−$87 (−7.6%) vs FY 2026
- $8521-bedroom FMRIllinois: $1,489 · U.S.: $1,478
- $42,240Income for a 2-bedroom$20/hour full-time
- 34 of 1022BR rank in Illinois1 = highest rent
| Unit | Mercer County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Illinois avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $787 | $817 | −$30 (−3.7%) | $1,401 | $1,379 | $31,480 |
| 1 bedroom | $852 | $928 | −$76 (−8.2%) | $1,489 | $1,478 | $34,080 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,056 | $1,143 | −$87 (−7.6%) | $1,724 | $1,761 | $42,240 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,396 | $1,498 | −$102 (−6.8%) | $2,220 | $2,266 | $55,840 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,697 | $1,819 | −$122 (−6.7%) | $2,524 | $2,607 | $67,880 |
How Mercer County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro FMR area, which covers 381,503 residents in 4 counties.
- Across Illinois, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $930 (White County) to $2,341 (Kendall County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $787, $852, $1,056, $1,396, $1,697. HUD derives the other sizes from the 2-bedroom figure with fixed ratios, adjusted where local data warrant.
- HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area FMRs. For the 13 ZIP codes mostly in Mercer County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,030 to $1,240.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Mercer County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61231 | $740 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,350 | $1,640 | no change | 2% below |
| 61260 | $740 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,350 | $1,640 | +$100 (+10.8%) | 2% below |
| 61263 | $740 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,350 | $1,640 | +$50 (+5.1%) | 2% below |
| 61272 | $740 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,350 | $1,640 | −$40 (−3.7%) | 2% below |
| 61276 | $740 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,350 | $1,640 | −$10 (−1.0%) | 2% below |
| 61279 | $880 | $950 | $1,180 | $1,560 | $1,900 | −$100 (−7.8%) | 12% above |
| 61281 | $740 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,350 | $1,640 | +$30 (+3.0%) | 2% below |
| 61412 | $750 | $840 | $1,050 | $1,350 | $1,730 | +$90 (+9.4%) | 1% below |
| 61442 | $740 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,350 | $1,640 | +$100 (+10.8%) | 2% below |
| 61465 | $740 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,350 | $1,640 | +$100 (+10.8%) | 2% below |
| 61466 | $740 | $840 | $1,030 | $1,350 | $1,640 | +$20 (+2.0%) | 2% below |
| 61476 | $920 | $1,000 | $1,240 | $1,640 | $1,990 | +$270 (+27.8%) | 17% above |
| 61486 | $780 | $840 | $1,040 | $1,370 | $1,670 | −$20 (−1.9%) | 2% below |
Sources
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD User Fair Market Rents: FY 2027 FMRs (file dated August 26, 2026) and FY 2026 FMRs (file dated April 21, 2026).
- HUD User Small Area Fair Market Rents: FY 2027 SAFMRs (file dated August 31, 2026) and FY 2026 SAFMRs (file dated April 21, 2026).
- ZIP-to-county assignment: Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file (file dated December 9, 2021), largest land-area overlap.
Fair Market Rents are HUD’s estimate of gross rent (rent plus utilities) for a modest unit, set at the 40th percentile of recent-mover rents. FY 2027 is HUD’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026. Housing authorities set voucher payment standards from these figures; check yours.