HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Benton County, Arkansas (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Benton County is $1,256 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,256
-6.8% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,130–$1,382
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$50,240
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Arkansas
2nd 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 | $916 | $824–$1,008 | $36,640 | $17.62/hr | -9.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,056 | $950–$1,162 | $42,240 | $20.31/hr | -5.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,256 | $1,130–$1,382 | $50,240 | $24.15/hr | -6.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,739 | $1,565–$1,913 | $69,560 | $33.44/hr | -7.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,099 | $1,889–$2,309 | $83,960 | $40.37/hr | -5.2% |
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 | $2,414 | $2,173–$2,655 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,729 | $2,456–$3,002 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,044 | $2,740–$3,348 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,358 | $3,022–$3,694 |
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 Benton actually rent for?
Search any address in Benton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
No card needed
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 Benton somewhere between $1,130 and $1,382. 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.
$1,256 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $50,240 a year. Put another way, $24 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%$1,130 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,256 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,382 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $380 | $506 | $632 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $56 | $182 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 7% from FY 2026 ($1,347) to FY 2027 ($1,256). Since FY 2020 it's up 56% in total, about 6.5% 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 | $584 | $630 | $807 | $1,149 | $1,417 | — |
| FY 2021 | $579 | $618 | $780 | $1,116 | $1,350 | -3.3% |
| FY 2022 | $658 | $695 | $865 | $1,229 | $1,481 | +10.9% |
| FY 2023 | $720 | $764 | $930 | $1,322 | $1,582 | +7.5% |
| FY 2024 | $871 | $924 | $1,121 | $1,580 | $1,847 | +20.5% |
| FY 2025 | $853 | $925 | $1,111 | $1,557 | $1,798 | -0.9% |
| FY 2026 | $1,007 | $1,115 | $1,347 | $1,873 | $2,213 | +21.2% |
| FY 2027In effect | $916 | $1,056 | $1,256 | $1,739 | $2,099 | -6.8% |
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 Benton, that runs from $916 for a studio up to $2,099 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 Benton in with 2 other counties in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro, Washington County, Madison County among them, and every one of them gets $1,256 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 Arkansas's 75 counties, Benton ranks 2nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 38% above the state median of $909 and about 18% above the national median county at $1,063. About 303,632 people live here, 2nd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,220 in 72722 (Decatur) and $1,880 in 72718 (Cave Springs), with the 22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72711 | Avoca | $1,380 | +9.9% |
| 72712 | Bentonville | $1,420 | +13.1% |
| 72713 | Bentonville | $1,490 | +18.6% |
| 72714 | Bella Vista | $1,460 | +16.2% |
| 72715 | Bella Vista | $1,550 | +23.4% |
| 72716 | Bentonville | $1,380 | +9.9% |
| 72718 | Cave Springs | $1,880 | +49.7% |
| 72719 | Centerton | $1,580 | +25.8% |
| 72722 | Decatur | $1,220 | -2.9% |
| 72732 | Garfield | $1,220 | -2.9% |
| 72733 | Gateway | $1,380 | +9.9% |
| 72734 | Gentry | $1,220 | -2.9% |
| 72736 | Gravette | $1,220 | -2.9% |
| 72739 | Hiwasse | $1,240 | -1.3% |
| 72745 | Lowell | $1,280 | +1.9% |
| 72747 | Maysville | $1,220 | -2.9% |
| 72751 | Pea Ridge | $1,840 | +46.5% |
| 72756 | Rogers | $1,220 | -2.9% |
| 72757 | Rogers | $1,380 | +9.9% |
| 72758 | Rogers | $1,480 | +17.8% |
| 72761 | Siloam Springs | $1,220 | -2.9% |
| 72768 | Sulphur Springs | $1,220 | -2.9% |
Counties sharing the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro rate
HUD sets one rate for the whole metro, so every county here carries the same $1,256 two-bedroom figure as Benton.
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Benton.
Washington County
23 mi · 256,765 people
$1,256
same rate
Carroll County
37 mi · 28,626 people
$1,005
-20%
Madison County
41 mi · 17,329 people
$1,256
same rate
Crawford County
56 mi · 61,139 people
$979
-22%
Newton County
66 mi · 7,112 people
$909
-28%
Franklin County
70 mi · 17,326 people
$909
-28%
Johnson County
73 mi · 26,003 people
$909
-28%
Boone County
74 mi · 38,138 people
$909
-28%
Questions people ask
$1,256 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $916 for a studio, $1,056 for one bedroom, $1,739 for three and $2,099 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 Benton actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Benton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.