HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Russell County, Alabama (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Russell County is $1,212 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,212
+11.4% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,091–$1,333
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$48,480
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Alabama
10th 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 | $1,026 | $923–$1,129 | $41,040 | $19.73/hr | +14.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,053 | $948–$1,158 | $42,120 | $20.25/hr | +12.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,212 | $1,091–$1,333 | $48,480 | $23.31/hr | +11.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,611 | $1,450–$1,772 | $64,440 | $30.98/hr | +11.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,876 | $1,688–$2,064 | $75,040 | $36.08/hr | +10.2% |
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 | $2,157 | $1,941–$2,373 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,439 | $2,195–$2,683 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,720 | $2,448–$2,992 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,002 | $2,702–$3,302 |
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 Russell actually rent for?
Search any address in Russell 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 Russell somewhere between $1,091 and $1,333. 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.
$1,212 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $48,480 a year. Put another way, $23 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%$1,091 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,212 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,333 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $341 | $462 | $583 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $12 | $133 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 11% from FY 2026 ($1,088) to FY 2027 ($1,212). Since FY 2020 it's up 53% in total, about 6.3% 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 | $594 | $670 | $790 | $1,062 | $1,387 | — |
| FY 2021 | $644 | $717 | $832 | $1,118 | $1,441 | +5.3% |
| FY 2022 | $654 | $724 | $827 | $1,122 | $1,415 | -0.6% |
| FY 2023 | $759 | $819 | $945 | $1,276 | $1,610 | +14.3% |
| FY 2024 | $828 | $881 | $1,031 | $1,372 | $1,743 | +9.1% |
| FY 2025 | $883 | $937 | $1,108 | $1,463 | $1,781 | +7.5% |
| FY 2026 | $895 | $939 | $1,088 | $1,445 | $1,703 | -1.8% |
| FY 2027In effect | $1,026 | $1,053 | $1,212 | $1,611 | $1,876 | +11.4% |
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 Russell, that runs from $1,026 for a studio up to $1,876 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 Russell in with 4 other counties in the Columbus metro, Muscogee County, Harris County, Chattahoochee County among them, and every one of them gets $1,212 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, Russell ranks 10th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 24% above the state median of $975 and about 14% above the national median county at $1,063. About 58,811 people live here, 24th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,000 in 36860 (Hurtsboro) and $1,780 in 36856 (Fort Mitchell), with the 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36851 | Cottonton | $1,070 | -11.7% |
| 36856 | Fort Mitchell | $1,780 | +46.9% |
| 36858 | Hatchechubbee | $1,060 | -12.5% |
| 36859 | Holy Trinity | $1,212County rate | — |
| 36860 | Hurtsboro | $1,000 | -17.5% |
| 36867 | Phenix City | $1,150 | -5.1% |
| 36868 | Phenix City | $1,070 | -11.7% |
| 36869 | Phenix City | $1,050 | -13.4% |
| 36870 | Phenix City | $1,180 | -2.6% |
| 36871 | Pittsview | $1,080 | -10.9% |
| 36875 | Seale | $1,000 | -17.5% |
Counties sharing the Columbus metro rate
HUD sets one rate for the whole metro, so every county here carries the same $1,212 two-bedroom figure as Russell.
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Russell.
Lee County
25 mi · 181,134 people
$1,277
+5%
Barbour County
37 mi · 24,643 people
$921
-24%
Bullock County
37 mi · 10,058 people
$921
-24%
Macon County
38 mi · 18,691 people
$981
-19%
Chambers County
40 mi · 34,192 people
$1,091
-10%
Tallapoosa County
56 mi · 40,938 people
$994
-18%
Henry County
60 mi · 17,647 people
$921
-24%
Pike County
61 mi · 32,987 people
$1,055
-13%
Questions people ask
$1,212 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $1,026 for a studio, $1,053 for one bedroom, $1,611 for three and $1,876 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 Russell actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Russell for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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