Evanston Rents Climb Sharply Near Campus

Typical north Evanston rent reached $2,850 a month in January 2026, up from about $1,860 in January 2018.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Apartments

Bold vector editorial illustration of three stacked brick apartment buildings rising from left to right beneath a bare tree, in coral, teal, and cream. — North Evanston's typical rent climbed to $2,850 a month in January 2026, up from about $1,860 in January 2018, while south Evanston stayed just under $1,900. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Typical rent in north Evanston rose from about $1,860 a month in January 2018 to $2,850 in January 2026. Typical rent in south Evanston was just under $1,900 in January 2026, according to an analysis of Zillow, Census Bureau and HUD data.

Why it matters

North Evanston now costs about $780 a month more than the Chicago metropolitan area on average, while south Evanston sits about $180 below it. Renters across the city face a widening gap between neighborhoods, with the fastest increases concentrated near campus.

Studio rent in north Evanston rose 63% from $1,230 in 2018 to nearly $2,000 in 2026, while south Evanston studios rose 65% from $1,090 to $1,800 over the same period. Measured against cumulative inflation of 34% since 2018, the studio increases outpaced general price growth in both areas.

The players

Zillow

Zillow is a real estate marketplace whose rental listing data was used to track typical rent in Evanston neighborhoods.

U.S. Census Bureau

The U.S. Census Bureau runs the American Community Survey, which provided the median rent estimates for Evanston wards.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUD publishes the Small Area Fair Market Rents dataset, which was used to measure studio rent in each area.

The details

The analysis used Zillow listings, Census American Community Survey data and HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents to track typical rent by area. Studio rents in both areas jumped by nearly $300 in 2024 alone, and rent for spots closer to campus is rising fastest, likely driven by student demand.

January 2018: North Evanston typical rent was about $1,860 a month.
2018: North Evanston studio rent was $1,230 and South Evanston studio rent was $1,090.
2024: Studio rents in both areas jumped nearly $300 in one year.
January 2026: North Evanston typical rent reached $2,850 and South Evanston just under $1,900.
May: Evanston's Housing and Community Development Committee approved the Housing4All work plan.

Housing Trend

Evanston's rent growth since 2018 has outpaced the 34% cumulative inflation measured across the period, with studio rents in both north and south Evanston rising about 63% to 65%. The increases follow a broader pattern of university-adjacent housing markets where student demand pushes rents fastest near campus.

Renters in north Evanston now face typical rents near $2,850 a month, while those in south Evanston pay under $1,900 on average. Anyone budgeting for a studio should expect to pay roughly $1,800 to $2,000 depending on the area.

The takeaway

Comparing neighborhoods before signing a lease can reveal large cost differences within the same city. Renters near campus should expect the steepest increases and budget accordingly.