HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Jefferson County, Arkansas (FY 2026)
$937 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Jefferson County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Jefferson is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$937
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$843 to $1,031
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$37,480
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Arkansas
20th of 75
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Jefferson moves to $955. That's up 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Jefferson actually rent for?
Search any address in Jefferson 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 | $697 | $627 to $767 | $27,880 | $13.40/hr | +10.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $728 | $655 to $801 | $29,120 | $14.00/hr | +6.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $937 | $843 to $1,031 | $37,480 | $18.02/hr | +6.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,224 | $1,102 to $1,346 | $48,960 | $23.54/hr | +7.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,241 | $1,117 to $1,365 | $49,640 | $23.87/hr | +6.6% |
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 | $1,427 | $1,284 to $1,570 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,613 | $1,452 to $1,774 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,799 | $1,619 to $1,979 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,986 | $1,787 to $2,185 |
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 Jefferson, that runs from $697 for a studio up to $1,241 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Jefferson 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, Pine Bluff included.
Among Arkansas's 75 counties, Jefferson ranks 20th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 6% above the state median of $880 and about 8% below the national median county at $1,018. About 66,934 people live here, 11th 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 72004 (Altheimer) and $1,180 in 72132 (Redfield), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71601 | Pine Bluff | $930 | -0.7% |
| 71602 | White Hall | $940 | +0.3% |
| 71603 | Pine Bluff | $960 | +2.5% |
| 71611 | Pine Bluff | $937County rate | — |
| 71612 | White Hall | $937County rate | — |
| 71613 | Pine Bluff | $937County rate | — |
| 71659 | Moscow | $900 | -3.9% |
| 72004 | Altheimer | $880 | -6.1% |
| 72079 | Jefferson | $1,060 | +13.1% |
| 72132 | Redfield | $1,180 | +25.9% |
| 72133 | Reydell | $900 | -3.9% |
| 72152 | Sherrill | $950 | +1.4% |
| 72168 | Tucker | $920 | -1.8% |
| 72175 | Wabbaseka | $1,140 | +21.7% |
| 72182 | Wright | $950 | +1.4% |
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 Jefferson somewhere between $843 and $1,031. 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.
$937 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,480 a year. Put another way, $18 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% ($843) | HAP at 100% ($937) | HAP at 110% ($1,031) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $93 | $187 | $281 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($878) to FY 2026 ($937). Since FY 2020 it's up 31% in total, about 4.7% 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 | $519 | $541 | $713 | $891 | $1,104 | — |
| FY 2021 | $542 | $553 | $729 | $919 | $1,091 | +2.2% |
| FY 2022 | $563 | $578 | $760 | $950 | $1,097 | +4.3% |
| FY 2023 | $580 | $619 | $815 | $1,026 | $1,095 | +7.2% |
| FY 2024 | $635 | $690 | $906 | $1,151 | $1,207 | +11.2% |
| FY 2025 | $633 | $684 | $878 | $1,141 | $1,164 | -3.1% |
| FY 2026 | $697 | $728 | $937 | $1,224 | $1,241 | +6.7% |
| FY 2027 | $782 | $787 | $955 | $1,239 | $1,266 | +1.9% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$937 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $697 for a studio, $728 for one bedroom, $1,224 for three and $1,241 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 Jefferson actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Jefferson for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.