State rental market analysis · IL
Illinois rental markets
120 tracked cities over 20,000 population, 120 ranked and summarized by their median Overall. Every number traces to Census, Zillow and BLS. All states ranked →
Browse every Illinois ZIP Code area → · the full server-rendered index for this state.
Part of the East North Central Census division (Midwest region).
The honest read
Illinois ranks #43 of 51 states for rental investing, with a median Overall of 39.5/100 across its ranked cities, below the national median. 120 ranked cities roll up into this grade.
A state grade is the median of its ranked cities, a screen for where to look, not underwriting. Open any city below for its full shown-math breakdown, or run a specific deal through the cap rate and cash-flow calculators.
Where it ranks, factor by factor
Every value is the median across the 120 ranked cities in this state. The national rank compares all 51 states on that one factor; the engine already flips inverted factors (affordability, low unemployment) so a better rank always means a better market. Each factor sits in one of the model’s three categories (Cash Flow, Growth, or Stability); this is a representative summary, and the full thirteen-factor breakdown is on each city’s page. Full methodology.
| Factor | Category | State value | National rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross rent yield | Cash Flow | 7.6% | not measured |
| Rent growth | Growth | 4.9% | not measured |
| Home value growth | Growth | 4.8% | not measured |
| Population growth | Growth | -0.1% | not measured |
| Job growth | Growth | 0.2% | not measured |
| Price-to-income | Cash Flow | 4.0× | not measured |
| Unemployment | Stability | 4.4% | not measured |
| Rental demand | Stability | 39% renters · 504.0% vacancy | not measured |
| Income growth | Growth | 5.5% | not measured |
Every city in Illinois, ranked
Led by Plainfield at 64/100. Click any column to re-sort; every city links to its full shown-math breakdown.
| IL rank | City | Grade | Cash Flow | Growth | Stability | Typical home value | Gross yield | National rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plainfield | 64 | A | B | C | $432,279 | 8.2% | #183 |
| 2 | Bolingbrook | 63 | A | C | C | $374,583 | 8.8% | #214 |
| 3 | McHenry | 62 | B | C | C | $318,613 | 7.5% | #249 |
| 4 | Huntley | 60 | B | C | C | $429,595 | 7.4% | #329 |
| 5 | Lake in the Hills | 56 | B | C | C | $383,677 | 6.8% | #472 |
| 6 | Lockport | 56 | B | C | C | $375,450 | 6.8% | #495 |
| 7 | Joliet | 53 | B | C | D | $271,896 | 7.2% | #603 |
| 8 | Streamwood | 53 | A | D | C | $336,661 | 8.9% | #625 |
| 9 | Algonquin | 52 | B | C | D | $422,303 | 6.6% | #645 |
| 10 | Crystal Lake | 51 | C | C | C | $388,566 | 6.3% | #691 |
| 11 | Oswego | 51 | B | B | D | $426,221 | 6.7% | #709 |
| 12 med | South Holland | 51 | A | D | D | $231,726 | 11.4% | #723 |
| 13 med | South Elgin | 51 | B | C | D | $379,258 | 6.6% | #726 |
| 14 | Carpentersville | 50 | A | D | C | $298,938 | 9.5% | #767 |
| 15 | Collinsville | 50 | A | D | C | $198,331 | 7.3% | #776 |
| 16 | Burbank | 49 | A | D | D | $316,257 | 8.5% | #814 |
| 17 | Dolton | 49 | A | D | D | $158,114 | 17.4% | #820 |
| 18 | Loves Park | 49 | A | D | C | $203,853 | 9.1% | #824 |
| 19 | Yorkville | 49 | C | B | D | $410,890 | 6.5% | #833 |
| 20 | Waukegan | 49 | B | C | D | $249,468 | 8.1% | #837 |
| 21 med | Frankfort | 49 | C | C | D | $502,643 | 5.7% | #847 |
| 22 med | Machesney Park | 48 | A | D | C | $211,433 | 8.2% | #865 |
| 23 | Blue Island | 48 | B | D | C | $206,866 | 7.8% | #880 |
| 24 | Downers Grove | 48 | C | C | C | $513,663 | 5.3% | #887 |
| 25 | Bartlett | 47 | B | D | C | $447,342 | 6.6% | #900 |
| 26 | Glendale Heights | 47 | C | D | C | $330,643 | 7.1% | #903 |
| 27 | Chicago | 47 | B | D | D | $337,993 | 8.5% | #910 |
| 28 | Calumet City | 47 | A | D | D | $156,808 | 12.1% | #938 |
| 29 | Schaumburg | 46 | B | D | C | $364,930 | 7.0% | #952 |
| 30 | Hanover Park | 46 | A | D | D | $338,429 | 8.7% | #968 |
| 31 | Montgomery | 46 | B | B | F | $336,140 | 7.8% | #981 |
| 32 | Oak Forest | 46 | A | D | C | $303,574 | 8.7% | #989 |
| 33 | Elgin | 46 | C | C | D | $343,260 | 6.7% | #1003 |
| 34 med | North Chicago | 46 | A | C | D | $226,134 | 11.3% | #1009 |
| 35 | Morton Grove | 45 | C | D | C | $454,132 | 6.6% | #1023 |
| 36 | Aurora | 45 | A | D | D | $326,890 | 8.4% | #1037 |
| 37 | Park Forest | 45 | A | D | D | $160,865 | 13.5% | #1038 |
| 38 | Round Lake Beach | 45 | A | D | D | $261,065 | 10.3% | #1045 |
| 39 | Granite City | 45 | A | D | C | $116,558 | 10.4% | #1057 |
| 40 med | O'Fallon | 44 | B | D | C | $274,100 | 5.7% | #1063 |
| 41 | Freeport | 44 | A | D | C | $129,722 | 9.0% | #1065 |
| 42 | Addison | 44 | C | D | C | $386,938 | 6.1% | #1074 |
| 43 | Orland Park | 44 | B | D | D | $414,279 | 8.6% | #1077 |
| 44 | Roselle | 44 | B | D | D | $388,468 | 7.5% | #1082 |
| 45 | Romeoville | 44 | B | C | F | $324,032 | 7.9% | #1085 |
| 46 | West Chicago | 44 | B | D | D | $395,522 | 7.9% | #1091 |
| 47 | Woodstock | 43 | D | C | C | $339,553 | 5.0% | #1131 |
| 48 | Alton | 43 | A | D | D | $105,039 | 11.2% | #1156 |
| 49 | Wheeling | 43 | B | D | D | $321,656 | 7.8% | #1157 |
| 50 | Carol Stream | 42 | C | D | C | $388,952 | 5.7% | #1176 |
| 51 | Tinley Park | 42 | A | D | D | $337,788 | 8.9% | #1194 |
| 52 | Mundelein | 42 | B | D | D | $393,636 | 7.2% | #1210 |
| 53 | Quincy | 41 | A | D | D | $183,694 | 8.3% | #1218 |
| 54 | Lansing | 41 | A | D | F | $201,273 | 9.9% | #1225 |
| 55 | Gurnee | 41 | C | D | D | $383,421 | 6.1% | #1234 |
| 56 | Niles | 41 | C | D | C | $422,795 | 6.6% | #1238 |
| 57 med | New Lenox | 41 | D | B | D | $459,277 | 4.0% | #1240 |
| 58 | Rolling Meadows | 41 | B | D | D | $342,521 | 7.0% | #1243 |
| 59 | Oak Lawn | 40 | B | D | D | $301,108 | 7.2% | #1254 |
| 60 | Lisle | 40 | D | D | C | $438,465 | 5.4% | #1292 |
| 61 | Villa Park | 40 | B | D | D | $369,389 | 7.6% | #1296 |
| 62 | Westmont | 39 | D | D | C | $417,239 | 5.7% | #1299 |
| 63 med | Elk Grove Village | 39 | C | D | C | $334,400 | 5.6% | #1308 |
| 64 | Naperville | 39 | D | C | C | $629,473 | 4.4% | #1317 |
| 65 | Hoffman Estates | 39 | C | D | C | $412,578 | 6.0% | #1318 |
| 66 | Cicero | 39 | D | D | C | $280,032 | 5.6% | #1320 |
| 67 | Bloomington | 38 | C | C | D | $272,368 | 6.0% | #1340 |
| 68 | Vernon Hills | 38 | C | D | D | $460,307 | 6.3% | #1341 |
| 69 | Bloomingdale | 38 | C | D | D | $442,218 | 6.7% | #1347 |
| 70 | Normal | 38 | C | D | D | $269,069 | 5.6% | #1358 |
| 71 | Champaign | 38 | B | C | F | $240,516 | 7.3% | #1362 |
| 72 | Des Plaines | 38 | B | C | F | $360,725 | 7.0% | #1365 |
| 73 med | Galesburg | 38 | A | D | D | $106,286 | 9.6% | #1380 |
| 74 | Rockford | 37 | B | D | D | $186,815 | 7.7% | #1383 |
| 75 | Kankakee | 37 | A | F | D | $159,724 | 9.4% | #1384 |
| 76 | Batavia | 37 | D | D | C | $472,001 | 4.5% | #1399 |
| 77 | Maywood | 37 | D | C | D | $262,105 | 7.0% | #1409 |
| 78 | Skokie | 37 | D | C | D | $435,327 | 5.9% | #1422 |
| 79 | Grayslake | 37 | B | D | D | $374,561 | 7.8% | #1426 |
| 80 | Edwardsville | 36 | C | D | D | $333,548 | 5.4% | #1440 |
| 81 med | Chicago Heights | 36 | B | D | D | $177,224 | 8.3% | #1442 |
| 82 | St. Charles | 36 | D | D | C | $482,151 | 4.8% | #1452 |
| 83 | Pekin | 36 | B | F | D | $145,264 | 7.7% | #1463 |
| 84 | Peoria | 35 | A | D | F | $136,960 | 10.9% | #1489 |
| 85 | Palatine | 35 | C | D | D | $396,744 | 6.0% | #1494 |
| 86 | Park Ridge | 35 | D | D | D | $595,303 | 5.3% | #1500 |
| 87 | Elmwood Park | 35 | D | D | D | $360,118 | 5.3% | #1503 |
| 88 | Moline | 35 | A | D | D | $152,495 | 8.4% | #1507 |
| 89 | Lombard | 34 | C | D | D | $395,049 | 6.3% | #1529 |
| 90 | Darien | 34 | C | D | D | $463,450 | 5.6% | #1531 |
| 91 | Springfield | 34 | B | D | D | $174,630 | 7.9% | #1534 |
| 92 | Evanston | 34 | D | D | D | $494,604 | 6.2% | #1539 |
| 93 med | Belvidere | 34 | C | D | F | $265,879 | 7.4% | #1552 |
| 94 | Wilmette | 33 | D | D | C | $1,007,961 | 4.4% | #1557 |
| 95 | Mount Prospect | 33 | D | D | C | $455,313 | 4.6% | #1564 |
| 96 | Northbrook | 33 | D | C | D | $718,284 | 5.0% | #1575 |
| 97 | Libertyville | 33 | D | D | D | $631,384 | 4.9% | #1580 |
| 98 | Highland Park | 33 | D | D | C | $802,430 | 4.5% | #1583 |
| 99 | Belleville | 32 | B | D | F | $162,506 | 8.0% | #1584 |
| 100 med | Homer Glen | 32 | D | C | F | $531,950 | 5.2% | #1585 |
| 101 | Berwyn | 32 | D | D | D | $319,912 | 5.3% | #1594 |
| 102 | Wheaton | 32 | D | D | D | $518,505 | 5.0% | #1595 |
| 103 | Buffalo Grove | 32 | C | D | D | $452,107 | 6.4% | #1601 |
| 104 | Rock Island | 32 | B | F | D | $129,626 | 8.4% | #1602 |
| 105 | Glenview | 32 | D | D | D | $697,546 | 4.3% | #1609 |
| 106 | Woodridge | 32 | D | D | D | $418,284 | 4.9% | #1611 |
| 107 med | Melrose Park | 32 | D | D | D | $326,590 | 5.4% | #1615 |
| 108 | Glen Ellyn | 31 | D | D | D | $584,435 | 4.5% | #1622 |
| 109 | Danville | 31 | A | F | F | $84,422 | 12.3% | #1632 |
| 110 | Elmhurst | 30 | D | D | D | $647,169 | 4.6% | #1642 |
| 111 | Decatur | 30 | A | F | F | $107,169 | 11.1% | #1643 |
| 112 | Urbana | 30 | C | D | F | $209,974 | 7.2% | #1646 |
| 113 | DeKalb | 30 | D | D | C | $266,477 | 6.3% | #1656 |
| 114 med | East Moline | 30 | B | D | F | $156,179 | 7.3% | #1667 |
| 115 med | East Peoria | 29 | C | D | F | $184,958 | 6.7% | #1670 |
| 116 | Zion | 29 | D | D | F | $257,565 | 7.0% | #1672 |
| 117 | Oak Park | 28 | D | D | D | $489,829 | 5.1% | #1693 |
| 118 | Arlington Heights | 27 | D | D | D | $500,757 | 4.7% | #1717 |
| 119 | Geneva | 24 | D | D | F | $555,373 | 4.6% | #1764 |
| 120 | Carbondale | 17 | D | F | F | $146,285 | 5.7% | #1821 |
Data as of: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI through the latest monthly release · Census ACS 5-yr 2019–2023 · Census PEP July 2024 · BLS LAUS county 2023 annual. Generated 2026-09-01. Methodology & limitations · underwrite any specific deal with the free calculators.
ZIP markets in Illinois
1,396 Census ZIP Codes (ZCTAs) in Illinois · 909 data-eligible for subscores. These are sub-city government areas ranked separately from the Illinois city table. The overall Rental Investor ZIP Score leaderboard leads; the two component subscores (affordability, rental-market context) follow as independent percentiles. ZIP ranks are shown within the ZIP universe only, never mixed with, and not directly comparable to, city ranks. Vintage: the Key metric column is Census ACS 2020–2024 (5-year), a newer release than the ACS 2019–2023 figures the city table above uses; the same measure can legitimately disagree between the two.
Best overall ZIP Codes in Illinois
Ranked by the overall Rental Investor ZIP Score. The # is each ZIP Code's canonical IL state rank; the smaller figure is its national rank. Separate from the Illinois city table and not directly comparable to it.
| IL rank | ZIP Code | Overallgrade · national | Key metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 60545Plano | A 73#216 nat | 8.3%Survey yield |
| #2 | 60538Montgomery | A 68#889 nat | 8.3%Survey yield |
| #3 | 60560Yorkville | A 66#1,447 nat | 5.8%Survey yield |
| #4 | 60450Morris | A 65#1,560 nat | 4.8%Survey yield |
| #5 | 60403Crest Hill | A 65#1,715 nat | 7.6%Survey yield |
| #6 | 60050McHenry | A 65#1,744 nat | 7.1%Survey yield |
| #7 | 60586Joliet | A 64#1,934 nat | 8.3%Survey yield |
| #8 | 60543Oswego | B 63#2,265 nat | 5.6%Survey yield |
| #9 | 60098Woodstock | B 63#2,423 nat | 5.3%Survey yield |
| #10 | 60440Bolingbrook | B 62#2,473 nat | 7.3%Survey yield |
| #11 | 60447Minooka | B 62#2,583 nat | 5.3%Survey yield |
| #12 | 61704Bloomington | B 62#2,653 nat | 5.5%Survey yield |
Top affordability ZIP Codes in Illinois
State-scoped leaders on the affordability subscore only (national rank shown is within that subscore’s data-eligible universe). Substantially an inverse housing-cost signal: a component of the overall score, not a predicted return.
| # | ZIP Code | Affordability | Key metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 62059Brooklyn | 100#1 nat | 28.9%Survey yield |
| 2 | 61378West Brooklyn | 83#959 nat | 7.4%Survey yield |
| 3 | 62466Sumner | 76#1,915 nat | 8.9%Survey yield |
| 4 | 62349Loraine | 75#2,100 nat | 9.0%Survey yield |
| 5 | 62891Valier | 74#2,188 nat | 17.5%Survey yield |
| 6 | 62983Royalton | 72#2,582 nat | 14.0%Survey yield |
| 7 | 61932Hume | 69#3,163 nat | 11.5%Survey yield |
| 8 | 62910Brookport | 69#3,179 nat | 11.7%Survey yield |
| 9 | 62994Vergennes | 69#3,210 nat | 10.4%Survey yield |
| 10 | 62932Elkville | 68#3,529 nat | 10.6%Survey yield |
| 11 | 62842Jeffersonville | 66#3,804 nat | 8.4%Survey yield |
| 12 | 62867New Haven | 66#3,869 nat | 9.3%Survey yield |
Deepest rental-market ZIP Codes in Illinois
State-scoped leaders on the rental-market-context subscore only (national rank shown is within that subscore’s data-eligible universe). Rental depth/tightness: a separate component, never combined here with affordability.
| # | ZIP Code | Rental market | Key metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 60301Oak Park | 86#1 nat | 11.1%Survey yield |
| 2 | 62090Venice | 85#13 nat | 25.6%Survey yield |
| 3 | 60644Chicago | 83#47 nat | 5.7%Survey yield |
| 4 | 60624Chicago | 81#144 nat | 6.1%Survey yield |
| 5 | 62060Madison | 81#174 nat | 20.1%Survey yield |
| 6 | 60471Richton Park | 79#339 nat | 7.1%Survey yield |
| 7 | 61239Carbon Cliff | 79#361 nat | 12.7%Survey yield |
| 8 | 60406Blue Island | 77#529 nat | 7.4%Survey yield |
| 9 | 62510Assumption | 77#559 nat | 8.1%Survey yield |
| 10 | 60639Chicago | 77#680 nat | 4.9%Survey yield |
| 11 | 60155Broadview | 76#692 nat | 5.2%Survey yield |
| 12 | 60804Cicero | 76#703 nat | 5.5%Survey yield |