HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Cullman County, Alabama (FY 2026)
$879 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Cullman County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Cullman is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$879
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$791 to $967
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$35,160
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Alabama
34th of 67
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Cullman moves to $1,034. That's up 18%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Cullman actually rent for?
Search any address in Cullman for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
FY 2026 Fair Market Rents
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $666 | $599 to $733 | $26,640 | $12.81/hr | -3.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $670 | $603 to $737 | $26,800 | $12.88/hr | -3.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $879 | $791 to $967 | $35,160 | $16.90/hr | -2.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,137 | $1,023 to $1,251 | $45,480 | $21.87/hr | -3.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,381 | $1,243 to $1,519 | $55,240 | $26.56/hr | +3.1% |
5 to 8 bedrooms (PropMetrics estimates)
HUD stops at four bedrooms. These add 15% of the four-bedroom rent per extra bedroom. It's our estimate, not a HUD number.
| Bedrooms | Estimated FMR | Payment standard |
|---|---|---|
| 5 bedroom Estimate | $1,588 | $1,429 to $1,747 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,795 | $1,616 to $1,975 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,002 | $1,802 to $2,202 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,210 | $1,989 to $2,431 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Fair Market Rent is HUD's estimate of what a modest, decent unit rents for in an area, utilities included. It's set once a year and runs October to September. For FY 2026 that's October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. In Cullman, that runs from $666 for a studio up to $1,381 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Cullman sits outside any HUD metro area, its rate is a county-wide figure built from local rents. One number covers every address in the county, Cullman included.
Among Alabama's 67 counties, Cullman ranks 34th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $879 and about 14% below the national median county at $1,018. About 88,284 people live here, 17th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $830 in 35070 (Garden City) and $1,020 in 35033 (Bremen), with the 13 ZIP codes in between. Housing authorities in HUD-designated metros use those ZIP rates instead of the county rate. Everywhere else the ZIP numbers show where rents actually sit, and the county rate stays the official standard.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35019 | Baileyton | $840 | -4.4% |
| 35033 | Bremen | $1,020 | +16.0% |
| 35053 | Crane Hill | $930 | +5.8% |
| 35055 | Cullman | $910 | +3.5% |
| 35056 | Cullman | $880 | +0.1% |
| 35057 | Cullman | $850 | -3.3% |
| 35058 | Cullman | $870 | -1.0% |
| 35070 | Garden City | $830 | -5.6% |
| 35077 | Hanceville | $1,020 | +16.0% |
| 35083 | Holly Pond | $870 | -1.0% |
| 35087 | Joppa | $970 | +10.4% |
| 35098 | Logan | $910 | +3.5% |
| 35179 | Vinemont | $840 | -4.4% |
What a voucher pays here
The voucher doesn't pay the FMR itself. It pays the payment standard. Housing authorities set it anywhere from 90% to 110% of FMR, which puts a two-bedroom standard in Cullman somewhere between $791 and $967. The tenant pays roughly 30% of their income, the voucher covers the rest up to the standard, and the PHA won't approve a rent above what comparable unassisted units get.
$879 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $35,160 a year. Put another way, $17 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom, assuming the rent equals the payment standard. Tenant pays 30% of monthly income, HUD's housing assistance payment covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | HAP at 90% ($791) | HAP at 100% ($879) | HAP at 110% ($967) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $41 | $129 | $217 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 3% from FY 2025 ($902) to FY 2026 ($879). Since FY 2020 it's up 36% in total, about 5.3% a year. The Alabama median moved up 3% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $469 | $525 | $645 | $871 | $874 | — |
| FY 2021 | $494 | $541 | $665 | $898 | $902 | +3.1% |
| FY 2022 | $559 | $607 | $747 | $1,009 | $1,013 | +12.3% |
| FY 2023 | $627 | $655 | $815 | $1,097 | $1,125 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $767 | $772 | $1,002 | $1,306 | $1,462 | +22.9% |
| FY 2025 | $691 | $695 | $902 | $1,176 | $1,340 | -10.0% |
| FY 2026 | $666 | $670 | $879 | $1,137 | $1,381 | -2.5% |
| FY 2027 | $785 | $790 | $1,034 | $1,356 | $1,581 | +17.6% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$879 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $666 for a studio, $670 for one bedroom, $1,137 for three and $1,381 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Look up any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count.
Section 8 rent calculator
Work out the payment standard and tenant share for a specific rent.
What is Fair Market Rent?
How HUD calculates FMR and what it means for landlords.
Rent affordability calculator
See what income a household needs for a given rent.
What does a rental in Cullman actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Cullman for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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