HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Baxter County, Arkansas (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Baxter County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $964 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Baxter keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$964
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$868 to $1,060
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$38,560
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Arkansas
15th of 75
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Baxter moves to $995. That's up 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Baxter actually rent for?
Search any address in Baxter 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 | $730 | $657 to $803 | $29,200 | $14.04/hr | +3.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $735 | $662 to $809 | $29,400 | $14.13/hr | +3.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $964 | $868 to $1,060 | $38,560 | $18.54/hr | +3.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,274 | $1,147 to $1,401 | $50,960 | $24.50/hr | +5.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,276 | $1,148 to $1,404 | $51,040 | $24.54/hr | +3.2% |
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 | $1,467 | $1,320 to $1,614 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,659 | $1,493 to $1,825 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,850 | $1,665 to $2,035 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,042 | $1,838 to $2,246 |
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 Baxter, that runs from $730 for a studio up to $1,276 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Baxter 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, Mountain Home included.
Among Arkansas's 75 counties, Baxter ranks 15th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 10% above the state median of $880 and about 5% below the national median county at $1,018. About 41,801 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 $880 in 72626 (Cotter) and $1,260 in 72537 (Gamaliel), with the 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72537 | Gamaliel | $1,260 | +30.7% |
| 72544 | Henderson | $960 | -0.4% |
| 72617 | Big Flat | $890 | -7.7% |
| 72623 | Clarkridge | $960 | -0.4% |
| 72626 | Cotter | $880 | -8.7% |
| 72635 | Gassville | $970 | +0.6% |
| 72642 | Lakeview | $880 | -8.7% |
| 72651 | Midway | $1,100 | +14.1% |
| 72653 | Mountain Home | $980 | +1.7% |
| 72654 | Mountain Home | $960 | -0.4% |
| 72658 | Norfork | $880 | -8.7% |
| 72659 | Norfork | $960 | -0.4% |
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 Baxter somewhere between $868 and $1,060. 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.
$964 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $38,560 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($868) | HAP at 100% ($964) | HAP at 110% ($1,060) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $118 | $214 | $310 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($932) to FY 2026 ($964). Since FY 2020 it's up 38% in total, about 5.5% a year. The Arkansas median moved up 4% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $478 | $531 | $699 | $871 | $947 | — |
| FY 2021 | $505 | $562 | $721 | $897 | $978 | +3.1% |
| FY 2022 | $525 | $547 | $709 | $876 | $978 | -1.7% |
| FY 2023 | $599 | $603 | $794 | $981 | $1,130 | +12.0% |
| FY 2024 | $674 | $678 | $891 | $1,119 | $1,257 | +12.2% |
| FY 2025 | $706 | $710 | $932 | $1,207 | $1,236 | +4.6% |
| FY 2026 | $730 | $735 | $964 | $1,274 | $1,276 | +3.4% |
| FY 2027 | $756 | $761 | $995 | $1,303 | $1,308 | +3.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$964 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $730 for a studio, $735 for one bedroom, $1,274 for three and $1,276 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 Baxter actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Baxter for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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