HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Polk County, Arkansas (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Polk County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $897 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Polk keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$897
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$807 to $987
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$35,880
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Arkansas
32nd of 75
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Polk moves to $909. That's up 1%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Polk actually rent for?
Search any address in Polk 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 | $642 | $578 to $706 | $25,680 | $12.35/hr | -1.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $703 | $633 to $773 | $28,120 | $13.52/hr | -0.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $897 | $807 to $987 | $35,880 | $17.25/hr | 0.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,076 | $968 to $1,184 | $43,040 | $20.69/hr | -0.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,188 | $1,069 to $1,307 | $47,520 | $22.85/hr | -0.1% |
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 | $1,366 | $1,229 to $1,503 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,544 | $1,390 to $1,698 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,723 | $1,551 to $1,895 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,901 | $1,711 to $2,091 |
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 Polk, that runs from $642 for a studio up to $1,188 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Polk 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, Board Camp included.
Among Arkansas's 75 counties, Polk ranks 32nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $880 and about 12% below the national median county at $1,018. About 19,384 people live here, 35th 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 71945 (Hatfield) and $1,100 in 71944 (Grannis), with the 7 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 Polk somewhere between $807 and $987. 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.
$897 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $35,880 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% ($807) | HAP at 100% ($897) | HAP at 110% ($987) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $57 | $147 | $237 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate didn't move from FY 2025 to FY 2026. It was $897 then and it's $897 now. Since FY 2020 it's up 42% in total, about 6.1% 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 | $418 | $496 | $630 | $785 | $1,060 | — |
| FY 2021 | $431 | $525 | $654 | $813 | $1,130 | +3.8% |
| FY 2022 | $441 | $505 | $664 | $821 | $1,048 | +1.5% |
| FY 2023 | $505 | $579 | $756 | $920 | $1,115 | +13.9% |
| FY 2024 | $584 | $662 | $861 | $1,041 | $1,152 | +13.9% |
| FY 2025 | $653 | $705 | $897 | $1,081 | $1,189 | +4.2% |
| FY 2026 | $642 | $703 | $897 | $1,076 | $1,188 | 0.0% |
| FY 2027 | $646 | $759 | $909 | $1,083 | $1,232 | +1.3% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$897 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $642 for a studio, $703 for one bedroom, $1,076 for three and $1,188 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 Polk actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Polk for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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