Chicago is a vibrant city filled with must-see attractions. From visiting Millennium Park's "Bean" sculpture to walking the scenic Lakefront Trail, there's no shortage of entertaining activities in the Windy City.
Whether you’re a first-time renter moving to one of Chicago’s many affordable neighborhoods or a long-time resident trading up to a downtown Chicago apartment with a lake view, search for your new home with Apartment List. With so many rentals in Chicago to choose from, you need a better apartment-hunting strategy than Googling “apartments for rent near me.”
Start by taking our quiz, and let our AI-powered algorithm find your dream Chicago apartment. The search function considers multiple factors to showcase the ideal apartments in Chicago, including neighborhood preferences and public transit access.
With just a few clicks, you’ll find the perfect apartment rentals in Chicago, Illinois.
Wolf Point West and East
answered on February 21 2025 by Ellyse H.
westmore apartment
answered on February 20 2025 by Mohammad H.
Welcome to the Apartment List April 2025 Rent Report for Chicago, IL. Currently, the overall median rent in the city stands at $1,724, after rising 2.0% last month. Prices and are now up 4.0% year-over-year. Read on to learn more about what’s been happening in the Chicago rental market and how it compares to trends throughout the broader Chicago metro area and the nation as a whole.
The median rent in Chicago rose by 2.0% over the course of March, and has now increased by a total of 4.0% over the past 12 months. Chicago’s rent growth over the past year has is similar to the state average (3.6%) and has outpaced the national average (-0.4%).
Three months into the year, rents in Chicago have risen 3.4%. This is a faster rate of growth compared to what the city was experiencing at this point last year: from January to March 2024 rents had increased 1.3%.
Chicago rents went up 2.0% in the past month, compared to the national rate of 0.6%. Among the nation's 100 largest cities, this ranks #3. Similar monthly rent growth took place in Pittsburgh, PA (2.0%) and Memphis, TN (2.0%).
Citywide, the median rent currently stands at $1,598 for a 1-bedroom apartment and $1,739 for a 2-bedroom. Across all bedroom sizes (ie, the entire rental market), the median rent is $1,724. That ranks #25 in the nation, among the country's 100 largest cities.
For comparison, the median rent across the nation as a whole is $1,216 for a 1-bedroom, $1,370 for a 2-bedroom, and $1,384 overall. The median rent in Chicago is 24.5% higher than the national, and is similar to the prices you would find in Gilbert, AZ ($1,736) and Henderson, NV ($1,710).
If we expand our view to the wider Chicago metro area, the median rent is $1,629 meaning that the median price in Chicago proper ($1,724) is 5.8% greater than the price across the metro as a whole. Metro-wide annual rent growth stands at 3.6%, below the rate of rent growth within just the city.
The table below shows the latest rent stats for 12 cities in the Chicago metro area that are included in our database. Among them, Lombard is currently the most expensive, with a median rent of $2,174. Waukegan is the metro’s most affordable city, with a median rent of $1,358. The metro's fastest annual rent growth is occurring in Arlington Heights (7.9%) while the slowest is in Wheaton (-1.4%).
You can also use the map below to explore the latest rent trends in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Apartment List is committed to the accuracy and transparency of our rent estimates. We begin with reliable median rent statistics from the Census Bureau, then extrapolate them forward to the current month using a growth rate calculated from our listing data. In doing so, we use a same-unit analysis similar to Case-Shiller’s approach, capturing apartment transactions over time to provide an accurate picture of rent growth in cities across the country. Our approach corrects for the sample bias inherent in other private sources, producing results that are much closer to statistics published by the Census Bureau and HUD. For more details, please see the Apartment List Rent Estimate Methodology.
Apartment List publishes monthly rent reports and underlying data for hundreds of cities across the nation, as well as data aggregated for counties, metros, and states. These data are intended to be a source of reliable information that help renters and policymakers make sound decisions. Insights from our data are covered regularly by journalists across the country. To access the data yourself, please visit our Data Downloads Page.
Welcome to the Apartment List April 2025 Rent Report for Chicago, IL. Currently, the overall median rent in the city stands at $1,724, after rising 2.0% last month. Prices and are now up 4.0% year-over-year. Read on to learn more about what’s been happening in the Chicago rental market and how it compares to trends throughout the broader Chicago metro area and the nation as a whole.
Apartment List has released Chicago’s results from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters nationwide, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of the country’s 111 million renters.
"Chicago renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall," according to Apartment List. "However, ratings varied greatly across different categories, indicating that even though renters love Chicago, some aspects can be better."
Key Findings in Chicago include the following:
Renters say:
"There’s always something to do and no need to drive anywhere. There are lots of great people and tons of jobs." -Matthew H.
"I love all of the beautiful scenery, food, and activities whether you’re single or have a family. But the taxes and cost of living is way too high here." -Angela O.
"Love the events, downtown area, parks, and nightlife, but I hate the crime." -Anon.
For more information on the survey methodology and findings or to speak to one of our researchers, please contact our team at rentonomics@apartmentlist.com.
Chicago boasts world-class architecture, vibrant neighborhoods, and a dynamic food scene. But for renters, the excitement can quickly turn into a whirlwind of questions: How much rent can I afford? Where should I live? What are the application requirements? Fear not, future Windy City residents! This guide equips you with the essential tips to conquer your Chicago apartment hunt.
Chicago really has no defined “rental season”
View Chicago City GuideChicago boasts world-class architecture, vibrant neighborhoods, and a dynamic food scene. But for renters, the excitement can quickly turn into a whirlwind of questions: How much rent can I afford? Where should I live? What are the application requirements? Fear not, future Windy City residents! This guide equips you with the essential tips to conquer your Chicago apartment hunt.
Chicago really has no defined “rental season”
The representation of ethnic minorities in Chicago is higher than the national average. The eight main ethnic groups that make up the population of Chicago are White (32.9%), Hispanic Or Latino (28.8%), Black Or African American (28.1%), Asian (6.8%), Two Or More (2.7%), Other (0.6%), American Indian Or Alaska Native (0.1%), and Native Hawaiian Or Other Pacific Islander (0%).
The representation of ethnic minorities in Chicago is higher than the national average. The eight main ethnic groups that make up the population of Chicago are White (32.9%), Hispanic Or Latino (28.8%), Black Or African American (28.1%), Asian (6.8%), Two Or More (2.7%), Other (0.6%), American Indian Or Alaska Native (0.1%), and Native Hawaiian Or Other Pacific Islander (0%).
Apartment List has released the results for Chicago from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters nationwide, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of the country’s 111 million renters.
