Section 8 Fair Market Rent (FMR) for ZIP 61011 - 2027

Location: Rockford, IL | Metro: Rockford, IL MSA

Investment Score for ZIP 61011

N/A

Monthly Rent (2BR)

$1,760

Median Price (2BR)

$N/A

1% Rule

Annual Yield

Based on 1% Rule: A+ (≥1.5%) | A (≥1.2%) | B (≥1.0%) | C (≥0.8%) | D (≥0.6%) | F (<0.6%)

FY 2027 Fair Market Rent Rates

Unit Size	Monthly FMR
Studio	$1,230
1 Bedroom	$1,350
2 Bedrooms	$1,760
3 Bedrooms	$2,320
4 Bedrooms	$2,370
5 Bedrooms	$2,749
6 Bedrooms	$3,079
7 Bedrooms	$3,325
8 Bedrooms	$3,491

Investment Analysis by Bedroom Size

Zillow median home prices vs Section 8 FMR rates (Data: 2026-08-31)

Bedrooms	Monthly FMR	Median Price	1% Rule	Grade
3BR	$2,320	$342,458	0.68%	D
4BR	$2,370	$447,209	0.53%	F

Demographics & Housing Statistics

U.S. Census Bureau data (2024)

Population

2,676

Median Household Income

$127,273

Housing Units

1,048

Renter Percentage

6.5%

Occupancy Rate

98.1%

Renter Occupied

A decision tree for whether to invest in ZIP 61011 for Section 8 properties begins with three key questions:

1) Does the Fair Market Rent (FMR) of $1550 cover the debt service on a property valued at $370,530?

If the answer is yes, proceed to the next question. Otherwise, the investment is not advisable as the rental income will not sufficiently cover the mortgage payments.

2) How does the market rent of $1,685 compare to the FMR?

If market rent is above the FMR, landlords can potentially earn additional income beyond what is covered by Section 8 vouchers.
If market rent is equal to the FMR, landlords will rely solely on the voucher amount to cover their expenses.
If market rent is below the FMR, there might be an issue with attracting tenants who prefer paying less than the voucher allows.

3) Is the demand sufficient with 6.5% of renters in the area and the days on market (DOM) being N/A?

Absent data on DOM suggests either insufficient listings or a very fast-moving market where properties do not stay on the market long enough to record such data.
The 6.5% figure indicates that a small portion of the population are renters. This low percentage implies limited demand, which could make it difficult to find suitable Section 8 tenants.

Decision branches based on the above criteria:

Yes: If the FMR of $1550 clears the debt service on a property valued at $370,530 and market rent is above FMR at $1,685, the investment is viable. However, the limited demand from renters (6.5%) needs to be carefully considered.

No: If the FMR of $1550 does not cover the debt service on a property valued at $370,530, the investment is not recommended regardless of market rent or demand figures.

It depends: If the FMR of $1550 covers the debt service but market rent is equal to or below FMR, landlords must weigh the potential for earning additional income against the risk of having to accept lower rents. The absence of DOM data and the low percentage of renters (6.5%) further complicate the decision, suggesting a need for thorough market research and possibly consulting local real estate experts.

In summary, the viability of purchasing a property in ZIP 61011 for Section 8 investment hinges on the ability of the FMR to cover debt service, the comparison between market rent and FMR, and the assessment of rental demand. Given the data, if the FMR meets debt service requirements and market rent exceeds FMR, the investment can be considered. However, the limited rental demand necessitates careful consideration before proceeding.

Data Sources: FMR data from HUD (2027). Median home prices from Zillow (2026-08-31). Demographics from U.S. Census (2024).

About FMR: Fair Market Rent (FMR) is used to determine payment standards for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based Section 8 contracts, and rent ceilings for HOME Investment Partnerships.