HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Columbia County, Arkansas (FY 2026)
$903 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Columbia County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Columbia is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$903
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$813 to $993
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$36,120
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Arkansas
31st of 75
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Columbia moves to $947. That's up 5%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Columbia actually rent for?
Search any address in Columbia 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 | $647 | $582 to $712 | $25,880 | $12.44/hr | +0.8% |
| 1 bedroom | $688 | $619 to $757 | $27,520 | $13.23/hr | +6.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $903 | $813 to $993 | $36,120 | $17.37/hr | +6.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,191 | $1,072 to $1,310 | $47,640 | $22.90/hr | +6.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,196 | $1,076 to $1,316 | $47,840 | $23.00/hr | +6.4% |
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 | $1,375 | $1,238 to $1,513 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,555 | $1,400 to $1,711 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,734 | $1,561 to $1,907 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,914 | $1,723 to $2,105 |
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 Columbia, that runs from $647 for a studio up to $1,196 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Columbia 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, Magnolia included.
Among Arkansas's 75 counties, Columbia ranks 31st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 3% above the state median of $880 and about 11% below the national median county at $1,018. About 22,707 people live here, 28th 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 71752 (Mc Neil) and $1,040 in 71861 (Taylor), with the 6 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.
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 Columbia somewhere between $813 and $993. 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.
$903 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $36,120 a year. Put another way, $17 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% ($813) | HAP at 100% ($903) | HAP at 110% ($993) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $63 | $153 | $243 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 6% from FY 2025 ($848) to FY 2026 ($903). Since FY 2020 it's up 43% in total, about 6.2% 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 | $499 | $504 | $630 | $848 | $992 | — |
| FY 2021 | $493 | $496 | $654 | $868 | $1,015 | +3.8% |
| FY 2022 | $490 | $493 | $649 | $876 | $914 | -0.8% |
| FY 2023 | $543 | $547 | $720 | $964 | $967 | +10.9% |
| FY 2024 | $615 | $620 | $814 | $1,080 | $1,084 | +13.1% |
| FY 2025 | $642 | $646 | $848 | $1,120 | $1,124 | +4.2% |
| FY 2026 | $647 | $688 | $903 | $1,191 | $1,196 | +6.5% |
| FY 2027 | $673 | $724 | $947 | $1,165 | $1,245 | +4.9% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$903 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $647 for a studio, $688 for one bedroom, $1,191 for three and $1,196 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 Columbia actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Columbia for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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