HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Van Buren County, Arkansas (FY 2026)
$880 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Van Buren County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Van Buren is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$880
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$792 to $968
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$35,200
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Arkansas
72nd of 75
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Van Buren moves to $909. That's up 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Van Buren actually rent for?
Search any address in Van Buren 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 | $630 | $567 to $693 | $25,200 | $12.12/hr | +1.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $671 | $604 to $738 | $26,840 | $12.90/hr | +3.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $880 | $792 to $968 | $35,200 | $16.92/hr | +3.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,186 | $1,067 to $1,305 | $47,440 | $22.81/hr | +6.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,240 | $1,116 to $1,364 | $49,600 | $23.85/hr | +9.0% |
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 | $1,426 | $1,283 to $1,569 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,612 | $1,451 to $1,773 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,798 | $1,618 to $1,978 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,984 | $1,786 to $2,182 |
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 Van Buren, that runs from $630 for a studio up to $1,240 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Van Buren 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, Bee Branch included.
Among Arkansas's 75 counties, Van Buren ranks 72nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $880 and about 14% below the national median county at $1,018. About 15,900 people live here, 50th 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 72088 (Fairfield Bay) and $990 in 72013 (Bee Branch), 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 Van Buren somewhere between $792 and $968. 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.
$880 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $35,200 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% ($792) | HAP at 100% ($880) | HAP at 110% ($968) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $42 | $130 | $218 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($848) to FY 2026 ($880). Since FY 2020 it's up 37% in total, about 5.4% 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 | $468 | $488 | $643 | $801 | $871 | — |
| FY 2021 | $512 | $531 | $700 | $871 | $949 | +8.9% |
| FY 2022 | $461 | $517 | $680 | $841 | $922 | -2.9% |
| FY 2023 | $500 | $547 | $720 | $879 | $967 | +5.9% |
| FY 2024 | $615 | $620 | $814 | $1,050 | $1,084 | +13.1% |
| FY 2025 | $618 | $646 | $848 | $1,115 | $1,138 | +4.2% |
| FY 2026 | $630 | $671 | $880 | $1,186 | $1,240 | +3.8% |
| FY 2027 | $646 | $727 | $909 | $1,258 | $1,274 | +3.3% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$880 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $630 for a studio, $671 for one bedroom, $1,186 for three and $1,240 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 Van Buren actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Van Buren for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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