HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Baxter County, Arkansas (FY 2027)
A two-bedroom in Baxter County carries a FY 2027 Fair Market Rent of $995 a month, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Everything Section 8 pays in Baxter keys off that figure.
Two-bedroom FMR
$995
+3.2% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$896–$1,095
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$39,800
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Arkansas
16th of 75
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 | $756 | $680–$832 | $30,240 | $14.54/hr | +3.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $761 | $685–$837 | $30,440 | $14.63/hr | +3.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $995 | $896–$1,095 | $39,800 | $19.13/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,303 | $1,173–$1,433 | $52,120 | $25.06/hr | +2.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,308 | $1,177–$1,439 | $52,320 | $25.15/hr | +2.5% |
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 | $1,504 | $1,354–$1,654 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,700 | $1,530–$1,870 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,897 | $1,707–$2,087 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,093 | $1,884–$2,302 |
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 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.
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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 Baxter somewhere between $896 and $1,095. 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.
$995 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,800 a year. Put another way, $19 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%$896 | Voucher pays at 100%$995 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,095 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $146 | $245 | $345 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2026 ($964) to FY 2027 ($995). Since FY 2020 it's up 42% in total, about 5.2% a year. The Arkansas median moved up 3% over the same year.
| Fiscal 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 2027In effect | $756 | $761 | $995 | $1,303 | $1,308 | +3.2% |
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 Baxter, that runs from $756 for a studio up to $1,308 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 16th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 9% above the state median of $909 and about 6% below the national median county at $1,063. About 42,407 people live here, 16th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $910 in 72626 (Cotter) and $1,160 in 72651 (Midway), 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 | $1,140 | +14.6% |
| 72544 | Henderson | $1,000 | +0.5% |
| 72617 | Big Flat | $920 | -7.5% |
| 72623 | Clarkridge | $1,000 | +0.5% |
| 72626 | Cotter | $910 | -8.5% |
| 72635 | Gassville | $990 | -0.5% |
| 72642 | Lakeview | $910 | -8.5% |
| 72651 | Midway | $1,160 | +16.6% |
| 72653 | Mountain Home | $1,010 | +1.5% |
| 72654 | Mountain Home | $1,000 | +0.5% |
| 72658 | Norfork | $910 | -8.5% |
| 72659 | Norfork | $1,000 | +0.5% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Baxter.
Marion County
17 mi · 17,228 people
$915
-8%
Fulton County
27 mi · 12,302 people
$909
-9%
Izard County
28 mi · 14,009 people
$909
-9%
Searcy County
32 mi · 7,859 people
$909
-9%
Stone County
34 mi · 12,568 people
$916
-8%
Boone County
35 mi · 38,138 people
$909
-9%
Sharp County
48 mi · 17,773 people
$909
-9%
Newton County
50 mi · 7,112 people
$909
-9%
Questions people ask
$995 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $756 for a studio, $761 for one bedroom, $1,303 for three and $1,308 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 Baxter actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Baxter for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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