VoucherMatch

Section 8 Housing in Illinois

104,726 active Housing Choice Vouchers across 8 markets. Rent limits, housing authorities, waitlist status, and voucher rights for every metro in Illinois.

Markets covered
8
Active vouchers
104,726
93,460 occupied
Housing authorities
106
statewide
Voucher protection
Protected
Illinois Human Rights Act §5-102(A)

Voucher-friendly listings in Illinois

20 listings

View all 20 listings →

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Illinois?

No. Illinois law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Illinois. 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.

Local voucher discrimination laws in Illinois

Illinois protects voucher holders statewide. These cities and counties also have their own ordinance, which can add a local agency to complain to.

Source: PRRAC, Appendix B: State, Local, and Federal Laws Barring Source of Income Discrimination (updated March 2026), plus the ordinances linked above. Informational only, not legal advice.

Landlord and investor tools for Illinois

RentalCalcs

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

Illinois metro guides

In-depth, source-cited guides: waitlist status, voucher-friendly neighborhoods, and who to call if you are turned away.

Chicago, IL

pop. 9,262,825

5 tracked voucher lists; none confirmed open

Chicago applicants need to distinguish a portable Housing Choice Voucher from an application for public housing or a specific subsidized building. CHA and HACC also run separate programs. Start with the dated authority c

See Chicago waitlists →

All Section 8 markets in Illinois

Sorted by active voucher count. Each metro page has HUD Fair Market Rent by bedroom, the housing authorities that administer vouchers there, and waitlist status.

Section 8 by county in Illinois

County pages show the local voucher count, housing authorities, and metro rollup. Useful when you are looking at a specific address.

Section 8 in Illinois: common questions

Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Illinois?
No. Illinois law prohibits landlords from refusing a renter because they pay with a Section 8 voucher. That protection applies in Illinois. If you were turned away for having a voucher, that refusal may be illegal.
Which Illinois cities and counties have their own voucher discrimination law?
Chicago and Cook County have a local source-of-income ordinance on file. The ordinance and its citation are listed on this page.
How many Section 8 vouchers are there in Illinois?
HUD data shows about 104,726 Housing Choice Vouchers across the 8 Illinois markets we track, administered by 106 housing authorities statewide.
How do I apply for Section 8 in Illinois?
You apply to a local housing authority, not to the state or to HUD. Each of Illinois's housing authorities runs its own waitlist and opens it on its own schedule, and applying is always free. Pick your metro or county on this page to see the housing authorities that serve it and their current waitlist status.

Find Section 8 apartments in Illinois

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 IllinoisList your unit free

Other states

Section 8 in ArkansasSection 8 in ArizonaSection 8 in CaliforniaSection 8 in Colorado