What is the median rent in DeKalb, IL?

Name: Median rent in DeKalb, IL, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The median gross rent in DeKalb, IL is $1,029 (±$41) a month, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

That is across 9,361 rented homes; gross rent is the contract rent plus the utilities and fuels a renter pays separately.

In DeKalb, the median gross rent went from $903 in 2015–2019 to $1,029 in 2020–2024 (+14.0%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose more slowly than prices: a measurable decrease after inflation.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Median gross rent: $1,029 (±$41)
Rented homes: 9,361 (±674)
$2,000 or more: 2.6%
Since 2015–2019: +14.0%

How much rent costs in DeKalb

Share of rented homes in each gross-rent range, 2020–2024
Monthly gross rent	DeKalb	DeKalb County	Illinois	United States
Less than $500	6.2% (±1.9 points)	6.7%	7.0%	6.3%
$500 to $999	40.0% (±5.7 points)	38.0%	23.5%	20.2%
$1,000 to $1,499	43.8% (±5.4 points)	41.3%	32.6%	28.1%
$1,500 to $1,999	7.3% (±2.2 points)	9.7%	18.7%	21.1%
$2,000 to $2,499	2.2% (±1.6 points)	3.3%	9.6%	12.0%
$2,500 to $2,999	0.3% (±0.4 points)	0.3%	4.1%	5.5%
$3,000 or more	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.7%	4.4%	6.8%

The most common range is $1,000 to $1,499, paid by 43.8% of renting households.

2.6% of rented homes in DeKalb cost $2,000 or more a month.

DeKalb against DeKalb County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	DeKalb	DeKalb County	Illinois	United States
Median gross rent	$1,029 (±$41)	$1,049 (±$33)	$1,274 (±$5)	$1,413
Rented homes paying rent	9,361 (±674)	14,907 (±696)	1,587,238 (±10,609)	42,849,984

In DeKalb, median gross rent is not measurably different from DeKalb County ($1,049).

It is also lower than in Illinois ($1,274).

It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).

In DeKalb County, DeKalb ranks 16 of 29 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median gross rent.

Statewide, it ranks 681 of 2,063.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How rent in DeKalb has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Median gross rent	$903 (±$33)	$1,029 (±$41)	+14.0%	Down after inflation
Households that rent	60.0% (±2.2 points)	57.9% (±3.3 points)	−2.1 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Rental vacancy rate	4.8% (±2.1 points)	3.3% (±1.7 points)	−1.5 percentage points	Not a measurable change

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Median gross rent in places near DeKalb

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with DeKalb
Place	Distance	Median gross rent	Compared with this place
DeKalb	—	$1,029 (±$41)	—
DeKalb Township	1.3 mi	$1,018 (±$42)	Not measurably different
Cortland	3.1 mi	$1,552 (±$364)	Higher
Cortland Township	4.4 mi	$1,444 (±$153)	Higher
Sycamore	5.9 mi	$1,140 (±$121)	Not measurably different
Malta	6.4 mi	$1,063 (±$214)	Not measurably different
Mayfield Township	6.6 mi	$1,138 (±$116)	Not measurably different
Malta Township	7.0 mi	$1,139 (±$258)	Not measurably different
Maple Park	7.4 mi	$1,728 (±$165)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Cortland, IL ($1,552), Cortland Township, IL ($1,444), Maple Park, IL ($1,728).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Median gross rent across DeKalb County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median gross rent
10	Sycamore Township	$1,183 (±$137)
11	Sycamore	$1,140 (±$121)
12	Malta Township	$1,139 (±$258)
13	Mayfield Township	$1,138 (±$116)
14	Malta	$1,063 (±$214)
15	Franklin Township	$1,034 (±$197)
16 (tie)	DeKalb	$1,029 (±$41)
16 (tie)	Sandwich	$1,029 (±$108)
16 (tie)	Sandwich Township	$1,029 (±$108)
19	DeKalb Township	$1,018 (±$42)
20	Kingston Township	$1,011 (±$312)
21	Kingston	$995 (±$341)
22	Somonauk	$993 (±$160)

Showing 13 of 29 places in DeKalb County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

What you can do on Seayora in DeKalb

One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.

Looking for a place to rent?

Browse homes for rent near DeKalb, save the ones you like and apply online.

Browse rentals · Create a renter account

Own or manage a rental?

List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for DeKalb beside you.

Create a landlord account · See what landlords get

Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?

Get found by owners and renters near DeKalb, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.

Join as a pro · Find a pro

Questions about DeKalb

What is the average rent in DeKalb, IL?

The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in DeKalb is $1,029 (±$41) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.

How much has rent gone up in DeKalb?

In DeKalb, the median gross rent went from $903 in 2015–2019 to $1,029 in 2020–2024 (+14.0%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose more slowly than prices: a measurable decrease after inflation.

How many rentals in DeKalb cost more than $2,000 a month?

2.6% of rented homes in DeKalb have a gross rent of $2,000 or more a month, and 6.2% cost less than $500.

Is rent in DeKalb higher than in DeKalb County?

In DeKalb, median gross rent is not measurably different from DeKalb County ($1,049).

It is also lower than in Illinois ($1,274).

It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).

Is this the rent for an apartment listed today?

No: these are rents households reported paying across 2020–2024, not asking rents for vacant homes, which usually run higher.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for DeKalb city, Illinois (place:19161, in state:17).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are B25064_001E, B25064_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP04_0126E, DP04_0126M, DP04_0127PE, DP04_0127PM, DP04_0128PE, DP04_0128PM, DP04_0129PE, DP04_0129PM, DP04_0130PE, DP04_0130PM, DP04_0131PE, DP04_0131PM, DP04_0132PE, DP04_0132PM, DP04_0133PE, DP04_0133PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.