HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Limestone County, Alabama (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Limestone County is $1,341 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,341
+2.4% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,207–$1,475
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$53,640
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Alabama
7th of 67
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
FY 2027 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,119 | $1,007–$1,231 | $44,760 | $21.52/hr | +8.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,177 | $1,059–$1,295 | $47,080 | $22.63/hr | +3.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,341 | $1,207–$1,475 | $53,640 | $25.79/hr | +2.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,735 | $1,562–$1,909 | $69,400 | $33.37/hr | +2.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,241 | $2,017–$2,465 | $89,640 | $43.10/hr | +6.3% |
Five to eight 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 | $2,577 | $2,319–$2,835 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,913 | $2,622–$3,204 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,249 | $2,924–$3,574 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,586 | $3,227–$3,945 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Limestone actually rent for?
Search any address in Limestone for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
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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 Limestone somewhere between $1,207 and $1,475. 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.
$1,341 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $53,640 a year. Put another way, $26 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$1,207 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,341 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,475 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $457 | $591 | $725 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $7 | $141 | $275 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 2% from FY 2026 ($1,310) to FY 2027 ($1,341). Since FY 2020 it's up 71% in total, about 8.0% a year. The Alabama median moved up 11% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $567 | $660 | $782 | $1,040 | $1,373 | — |
| FY 2021 | $589 | $690 | $821 | $1,089 | $1,387 | +5.0% |
| FY 2022 | $647 | $757 | $897 | $1,189 | $1,428 | +9.3% |
| FY 2023 | $737 | $872 | $1,029 | $1,354 | $1,612 | +14.7% |
| FY 2024 | $900 | $1,067 | $1,248 | $1,619 | $1,937 | +21.3% |
| FY 2025 | $928 | $1,071 | $1,248 | $1,609 | $1,964 | 0.0% |
| FY 2026 | $1,030 | $1,136 | $1,310 | $1,690 | $2,109 | +5.0% |
| FY 2027In effect | $1,119 | $1,177 | $1,341 | $1,735 | $2,241 | +2.4% |
About this rate
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 2027 that's October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. In Limestone, that runs from $1,119 for a studio up to $2,241 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
This is a metro rate. The county doesn't get one of its own. HUD lumps Limestone in with one other county in the Huntsville metro, Madison County among them, and every one of them gets $1,341 for a two-bedroom. Where you are inside the metro doesn't change the county number. It does change the ZIP number, covered below.
Among Alabama's 67 counties, Limestone ranks 7th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 38% above the state median of $975 and about 26% above the national median county at $1,063. About 111,233 people live here, 11th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,180 in 35611 (Athens) and $1,760 in 35615 (Belle Mina), with the 11 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.
Counties sharing the Huntsville metro rate
HUD sets one rate for the whole metro, so every county here carries the same $1,341 two-bedroom figure as Limestone.
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Limestone.
Madison County
21 mi · 405,718 people
$1,341
same rate
Morgan County
21 mi · 124,471 people
$1,023
-24%
Lawrence County
26 mi · 33,276 people
$1,023
-24%
Lauderdale County
38 mi · 95,830 people
$1,085
-19%
Colbert County
43 mi · 58,022 people
$1,085
-19%
Cullman County
46 mi · 90,566 people
$1,034
-23%
Marshall County
52 mi · 99,748 people
$925
-31%
Jackson County
53 mi · 53,053 people
$921
-31%
Questions people ask
$1,341 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $1,119 for a studio, $1,177 for one bedroom, $1,735 for three and $2,241 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The income a household needs for a given rent
What does a rental in Limestone actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Limestone for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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