Section 8 in Williamson County, IL
323 active Housing Choice Vouchers in Williamson County, 79% utilized. 2 housing authorities serve this county. Voucher data as of 2026.
Historical funding: ARPA allocation in 2021–2022HUD Fair Market Rents in Williamson 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.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Illustration: 90% to 110% of FMR |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $694 | $625 to $763 |
| 1-bedroom | $761 | $685 to $837 |
| 2-bedroom | $996 | $896 to $1,096 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,304 | $1,174 to $1,434 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,309 | $1,178 to $1,440 |
The two-bedroom HUD benchmark for Williamson County is $996. Multiplying by 90% and 110% gives $896 to $1,096, 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 Williamson County
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Williamson County, IL fell from $1,037 in FY2026 to $996 in FY2027, a change of -$41 a month (-4.0%). FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $753 | $694 | -$59 (-7.8%) |
| 1-bedroom | $790 | $761 | -$29 (-3.7%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,037 | $996 | -$41 (-4.0%) |
| 3-bedroom | $1,369 | $1,304 | -$65 (-4.7%) |
| 4-bedroom | $1,386 | $1,309 | -$77 (-5.6%) |
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 Williamson County? Under standard HCV rules, a lower payment standard does not cut your subsidy right away. Moving to Work agencies may use different policies. The housing authority may keep your current payment standard for as long as you stay in the same unit. If it decides to lower it, the reduction cannot start sooner than two years after the decrease takes effect, and only after it sends you the required notice (24 CFR 982.505(c)(3)). Families who are new to the program, or who move to a different unit, get the schedule in effect at that time.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
Section 8 income limits in Williamson 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 Williamson County that is $47,500 a year for a family of four, about $3,950 a month before taxes. HUD's area median family income here is $95,000.
| Household size | Extremely low | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $19,950 | $33,250 | $53,200 |
| 2 people | $22,800 | $38,000 | $60,800 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $42,750 | $68,400 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $47,500 | $76,000 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $51,300 | $82,100 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $55,100 | $88,200 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $58,900 | $94,250 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $62,700 | $100,350 |
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 $33,000 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 Williamson County, IL, huduser.gov.
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Williamson County?
No. Illinois law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Williamson 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.
Williamson County in the Marion metro
Williamson County is one of the counties inside the Marion, IL core-based statistical area. The metro-level view aggregates voucher activity across every housing authority in the CBSA.
See Marion metro rent limits and PHA breakdown →Landlord and investor tools for Williamson County
RentalCalcsFree calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.
- Williamson County rental market dataRents, home prices, cap rates and cash flow estimates for investors.
- Section 8 rent analyzerHUD rent benchmarks and modeled comparisons for Illinois ZIP codes. Confirm adopted amounts with the agency.
- Compare HUD benchmarks with market rent in IllinoisExplore modeled ZIP comparisons; these do not establish an approved rent or agency payment.
- Average rent in IllinoisMarket rent versus HUD fair market rent by city and bedroom count.
- How Section 8 rent is calculatedFair market rent, payment standards and rent reasonableness, step by step.
- Section 8 landlord math for 2026What the payment standard changes mean for cash flow this year.
Housing authorities serving Williamson 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.
Housing Authority of the County of Williamson
Carterville · PHA code IL050
167 Section 8 unitsHousing Authority of the City of Marion, Illinois
Marion · PHA code IL126
156 Section 8 units
Williamson County, Illinois ARPA allocation: 2021–2022
Williamson County, Illinois was allocated $12,935,687 through the American Rescue Plan Act’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program. Treasury lists that amount in both its county allocation table and its payments table. This is the county government’s recovery funding; it is not a Section 8 voucher allocation or a payment available to each resident.
What the 2021 and 2022 budget records show
The county’s fiscal year ends November 30. Its 2021–2022 budget lists the following ARPA grant proceeds. Keep the column labels with the amounts: the document combines actual and forecast figures for 2021 and budgets for 2022.
| Period and column | Amount | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 actual and forecasted | $6,467,843 | Grant proceeds reported in the combined actual/forecast column |
| Year ending November 30, 2022 budget | $6,467,843 | Budgeted grant proceeds, not audited spending |
Source: Williamson County FY2022 budget, printed pages 24–25 (PDF pages 25–26). Both ARPA schedules show these grant-proceeds amounts. Records checked October 18, 2026. On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways if needed.
Treasury describes two local-government installments: half beginning in May 2021 and the balance about 12 months later. The two county budget entries total $12,935,686, one dollar below Treasury’s allocation table. Keep the federal award and county budget figures distinct; this comparison does not establish exact county deposit dates.
Where to check spending and housing assistance
- For actual uses of the money: consult the county’s budgets and audits and board minutes. A budgeted disbursement is not proof of an actual payment or a housing-specific award.
- For current rental help: use the housing authorities listed on this page or the county’s General Assistance office. Historical ARPA funding does not establish that a rental-assistance application is open today.
Check the geography when comparing records: this is Williamson County in southern Illinois, not Will County, Illinois, or Williamson County in Tennessee or Texas.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the income limit for Section 8 in Williamson County?
- For FY2026, the very low income screening threshold in Williamson County, IL is $33,250 for one person, $38,000 for two, $42,750 for three and $47,500 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 Williamson County?
- HUD's FY2026 extremely low income limit in Williamson County is $19,950 for one person and $33,000 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 Williamson County?
- The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Williamson County is $996 per month. For illustration, 90% to 110% of the benchmark is roughly $896 to $1,096. 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 Williamson County?
- Housing Choice Vouchers in Williamson County are administered by Housing Authority of the County of Williamson, Housing Authority of the City of Marion, Illinois. 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 Williamson 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.
Nearby Illinois counties
Voucher counts aggregated from HUD PHA jurisdiction data. Population 67,120 · FIPS 17199.