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Low Income Apartments in Chicago, IL

48 apartment properties in Chicago with 12,252 income-based apartments. Rent is about 30% of your income, the assistance is attached to the apartment, and you apply to each property directly. No voucher needed.

Updated · By the VoucherMatch Editorial Team

Downtown Chicago's skyline, with Willis Tower at the left, seen across blue-green Lake Michigan under a clear sky
Chicago skyline from the lake
Places to apply
48
Income-based apartments
12,252
Historical average payment
$397/mo
Property averages; historical rent + utilities
Market 1-bedroom (FY2027)
$1,780
HUD Fair Market Rent

Every place to apply in Chicago

Search by name, street or ZIP code, or narrow the list by who a place serves and the apartment sizes it has. You apply to each one directly.

ZIP code

48 places in Chicago.

  • Downtown Chicago's skyline, with Willis Tower at the left, seen across blue-green Lake Michigan under a clear skyArea photo
    Family

    Income-based · 60637

    Parkway Gardens

    6415 S Calumet Ave

    Apartments
    694 income-based · 2 and 3-bedroom
    Tenants pay
    About $252 a month on average
    Office
    (773) 288-6701

  • Family

    Income-based · 60649

    South Shore Apartments

    6854 S East End Ave

    Apartments
    446 income-based · studio, 1, 2 and 3-bedroom
    Tenants pay
    About $402 a month on average
    Office
    (773) 493-7300

  • Family

    Income-based · 60653

    T.K. Lawless Gardens I

    3550 S Rhodes Ave

    Apartments
    436 income-based · 1, 2 and 3-bedroom
    Tenants pay
    About $311 a month on average
    Office
    (773) 536-5000

  • Family

    Income-based · 60640

    Lakeview Towers

    4550 N Clarendon Ave

    Apartments
    395 income-based · studio, 1, 2 and 3-bedroom
    Tenants pay
    About $473 a month on average
    Office
    (773) 286-5400

  • Family

    Income-based · 60616

    Long Grove House

    2001 S Michigan Ave

    Apartments
    356 income-based · 1, 2 and 3-bedroom
    Tenants pay
    About $544 a month on average
    Office
    (312) 225-6300

  • Family

    Income-based · 60626

    Northpoint

    7719 N Paulina St

    Apartments
    304 income-based · 1, 2, 3 and 4-bedroom
    Tenants pay
    About $439 a month on average
    Office
    (773) 764-6707

  • Senior and family

    Income-based · 60612

    Van Buren Park Apartments

    2045 W Jackson Blvd

    Apartments
    299 income-based · 1, 2, 3 and 4-bedroom
    Tenants pay
    About $371 a month on average
    Office
    (312) 633-1916

Who each property in Chicago serves

HUD records who each property was built for. Pick a group to see only those places in the list.

How income-based apartments in Chicago work

Every property above has a contract with HUD that pays part of the rent on specific apartments. Tenants pay about 30% of their adjusted household income and HUD pays the owner the difference. Because the assistance belongs to the apartment, you do not need a voucher to move in, and you do not take the assistance with you when you leave.

Each property runs its own waiting list. There is no single application for Chicago: call the properties that fit your household, ask whether the list is open, and apply to as many as you like. Senior properties are age-restricted, usually to 62 and older.

Income limits in Cook County (FY2026)

HUD-assisted properties generally use the very low income limit (the middle column); the applicable rule depends on the program. For project-based Section 8, at least 40% of assisted units becoming available in a fiscal year must go to extremely low income households (24 CFR 5.653). Confirm the offered apartment's program and limit with its office.

1 person
$42,550
2 people
$48,600
4 people
$60,750

Very low income limit (50% of the area median), yearly, before taxes.

Show the full table: every household size at 30%, 50% and 80%
Household30%50%80%
1 person$25,550$42,550$68,050
2 people$29,200$48,600$77,800
3 people$32,850$54,700$87,500
4 people$36,450$60,750$97,200
5 people$39,400$65,650$105,000
6 people$44,360$70,500$112,800
7 people$50,040$75,350$120,550
8 people$55,720$80,200$128,350

Source: HUD FY2026 income limits. Income is gross annual income for the whole household; the property verifies it when your name comes up on the waiting list.

Voucher-friendly listings in Chicago

21 listings

View all 21 listings →

Have a Section 8 voucher instead?

A Housing Choice Voucher works the other way round: the assistance follows you, and you rent from a private landlord who accepts it. Browse voucher-friendly listings in Chicago, or see Section 8 rent limits and housing authorities in Cook County. Open voucher waiting lists are on the Section 8 waiting lists page.

More housing help in Chicago

Low income apartments in other cities

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a low income apartment in Chicago?
Apply directly to each property. The 48 properties on this page have rent assistance attached to the apartments, and each one keeps its own waiting list, so you can apply to several at once. Call the office, ask whether the list is open, and ask how to get an application. This is separate from applying for a Section 8 voucher at the housing authority, and you can do both.
How much is rent in income-based apartments in Chicago?
Tenants pay about 30% of their adjusted household income, and HUD pays the rest to the owner. The average of reporting properties' historical monthly rent-and-utilities payment figures is $397. This is an average of property records, not a current rent quote or a household-weighted city average. For comparison, HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a one-bedroom in Cook County is $1,780.
What income qualifies for low income housing in Chicago?
Most of these properties admit households at or below the very low income limit, which is 50% of the area median for your household size. In Cook County for FY2026 that is $42,550 a year for one person and $60,750 for four. Project-based Section 8 permits limited admissions above the very low income level within the low income limit (80%); ask which rule applies to the apartment’s contract (24 CFR 5.653).
Do I need a Section 8 voucher for these apartments?
No. In project-based Section 8, Section 202 and Section 811 properties the subsidy is attached to the apartment. You do not bring a voucher, and you do not keep the assistance if you move out. A voucher cannot be stacked on an apartment that is already subsidized, so if you already hold one, look for a landlord who accepts it instead.
Are there low income senior apartments in Chicago?
Yes. 10 of the 48 properties listed here are designated for seniors. Age and household requirements depend on each property’s program; ask its office which rules apply.