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Section 8 in Cook County, IL

69,425 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Cook County, 94% utilized. 6 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.

Active vouchers
69,425
Occupied
65,273
94% utilized
Housing authorities
6
serving this county
Voucher protection
Protected statewide
Illinois Human Rights Act §5-102(A)

Voucher-friendly listings in Cook County

21 listings

View all 21 listings →

Cook County HACC and Chicago CHA use separate schedules

The Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) and Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) are separate administrators. Start with the voucher issuer and confirm who handles the proposed address. Do not combine HACC payment standards with a CHA utility worksheet.

Find the agency’s adopted payment standard

HACC’s payment standards effective January 1, 2026 map municipalities and ZIPs to lettered ranges. Find both the municipality and ZIP, then use the range and applicable bedroom column. CHA voucher holders should use CHA’s participant resources and ask for their own household calculation.

Move the proposed tenancy forward

HACC’s resources include its utility schedule, rent-offer explanation, moving timeline and extension form. Ask whether the proposed rent is waiting on household affordability, comparable-rent review or missing unit information. Keep the owner’s utility terms attached to the tenancy proposal.

Official documents and contacts

Agency guidance reviewed September 29, 2026. Confirm the schedule effective for your tenancy. The HUD table below is market reference data.

HUD Fair Market Rents in Cook County (FY2027)

HUD rent benchmarks for FY2027, effective October 1, 2026. These are not adopted housing-authority payment standards or household subsidy amounts. The illustration shows 90% to 110% of FMR; ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules can differ.

BedroomsFMRIllustration: 90% to 110% of FMR
Efficiency (studio)$1,678$1,510 to $1,846
1-bedroom$1,780$1,602 to $1,958
2-bedroom$2,011$1,810 to $2,212
3-bedroom$2,586$2,327 to $2,845
4-bedroom$2,954$2,659 to $3,249

The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Cook County is $2,011. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $1,810 to $2,212, not an approval range. Gross rent includes the applicable allowance for tenant-paid utilities. Your agency must calculate assistance using its adopted standard, your household and the proposed unit.

What changed from FY2026 to FY2027 in Cook County

HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Cook County, IL rose from $1,781 in FY2026 to $2,011 in FY2027, a change of +$230 a month (+12.9%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.

BedroomsFY2026FY2027Change
Efficiency (studio)$1,480$1,678+$198 (+13.4%)
1-bedroom$1,581$1,780+$199 (+12.6%)
2-bedroom$1,781$2,011+$230 (+12.9%)
3-bedroom$2,294$2,586+$292 (+12.7%)
4-bedroom$2,653$2,954+$301 (+11.3%)

The FMR is not what the voucher pays. Each housing authority sets its own payment standard. The basic range is 90% to 110% of the applicable FMR or SAFMR, with exceptions and Moving to Work policies that may differ. A HUD effective date is not a household rent-change notice. Confirm the adopted schedule and its application to your lease or reexamination with your agency.

Already renting with a voucher in Cook County? Under standard HCV rules, once the housing authority raises its payment standard, the higher amount must be used for your subsidy no later than the earliest of three dates: a rent increase that would raise your share, your next regular or interim reexamination, or one year after the increase took effect (24 CFR 982.505(c)(4)). Confirm any applicable Moving to Work policy with your agency.

Landlords: a higher FMR does not raise a contract rent by itself. You still request the increase from the housing authority, and the new rent has to pass its rent reasonableness review against comparable unassisted units.

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.

Section 8 income limits in Cook County (FY2026)

To qualify for a Housing Choice Voucher, a household's gross annual income generally has to be at or below the very low income limit for its size. In Cook County that is $60,750 a year for a family of four, about $5,060 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $121,500.

Household sizeExtremely lowVery low (50%)Low (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

Which column applies to you. The middle column is the eligibility line for most applicants (24 CFR 982.201). The low income column only applies in special cases, such as families already receiving federal housing assistance. Federal rules generally require at least 75% of admissions from the waiting list each year to be extremely low income families. This does not predict selection or waiting time. For a family of four here, that threshold is $36,450 or less.

Income is counted before taxes and covers the whole household. The housing authority verifies it when your name is reached on the waiting list, so what counts is your income at that point. Being under the income limit is only one part of eligibility and does not guarantee admission.

Compare your household income with Section 8 limits and see how monthly income becomes an annual estimate.

Source: HUD FY2026 Section 8 Income Limits for the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area, huduser.gov.

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Cook County?

No. Illinois law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Cook County. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.

Illinois Human Rights Act §5-102(A)

Illinois Human Rights Act was amended in January 2023 to add source of income (including housing vouchers) as a protected class statewide.

View statute →

Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.

Cook County in the Chicago metro

Metro vouchers
89,565
Metro utilization
92%
Type
MSA
CBSA 16980

Cook County is one of the counties inside the Chicago, IL core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.

See Chicago metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →

Landlord and investor tools for Cook County

RentalCalcs

Free calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.

Housing authorities serving Cook County

Each PHA sets its own payment standard, runs its own waitlist, and does its own inspections. Confirm the administering agency on your voucher and whether it can serve the proposed address; a ZIP code alone does not settle jurisdiction or portability.

  • Chicago Housing Authority (CHA)

    Chicago · PHA code IL002

    54,082 Section 8 units
  • 14,142 Section 8 units

  • Housing Authority of the Village of Oak Park

    Oak Park · PHA code IL103

    546 Section 8 units

  • Housing Authority of the Town of Cicero

    Cicero · PHA code IL130

    239 Section 8 units

  • Illinois Housing Development Authority

    Chicago · PHA code IL901

    235 Section 8 units

  • Housing Authority of Park Forest

    Park Forest · PHA code IL136

    181 Section 8 units

Applying, following up or moving with a voucher? Find the right Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) portal and next step.

Applying, following up or moving with a voucher? Find the right Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) portal and next step.

Section 8 rent by ZIP in Cook County

Cook County is in a Small Area FMR metro, so HUD publishes a separate rent limit for each ZIP (FY2027). The 2-bedroom figure is shown; each ZIP page has the full bedroom table.

Frequently asked questions

What is the income limit for Section 8 in Cook County?
For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Cook County, IL is $42,550 for one person, $48,600 for two, $54,700 for three and $60,750 for a family of four. Limits vary by household size. The agency also checks other eligibility requirements and any applicable exceptions.
What counts as extremely low income in Cook County?
HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Cook County is $25,550 for one person and $36,450 for a family of four. Housing authorities must give at least 75% of the vouchers they issue from the waiting list each year to families at or below this level.
How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Cook County?
The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Cook County is $2,011 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $1,810 to $2,212. This is not a household rent limit. ZIP-based schedules, approved exceptions and Moving to Work rules may differ; ask your agency for its adopted standard and the unit's utility allowance.
Who runs Section 8 in Cook County?
Housing Choice Vouchers in Cook County are administered by Chicago Housing Authority, Housing Authority of the County of Cook (HACC), Housing Authority of the Village of Oak Park and other local housing authorities. Each authority keeps its own waiting lists and eligibility preferences. Check each official application notice; applying to one agency does not apply to the others.

Find Section 8 apartments in Cook County

VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. The administering housing authority must approve the actual unit, rent and household assistance calculation.

Browse voucher-friendly listings in Cook CountyList your unit free

Nearby Illinois counties

Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 5,225,367 · FIPS 17031.