HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Washington County, Arkansas (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Washington County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,347 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Washington keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,347
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,212 to $1,482
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$53,880
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Arkansas
3rd of 75
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Washington moves to $1,256. That's down 7%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Washington actually rent for?
Search any address in Washington 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 | $1,007 | $906 to $1,108 | $40,280 | $19.37/hr | +18.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,115 | $1,004 to $1,227 | $44,600 | $21.44/hr | +20.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,347 | $1,212 to $1,482 | $53,880 | $25.90/hr | +21.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,873 | $1,686 to $2,060 | $74,920 | $36.02/hr | +20.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,213 | $1,992 to $2,434 | $88,520 | $42.56/hr | +23.1% |
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 | $2,545 | $2,291 to $2,800 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,877 | $2,589 to $3,165 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,209 | $2,888 to $3,530 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,541 | $3,187 to $3,895 |
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 Washington, that runs from $1,007 for a studio up to $2,213 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 Washington in with 2 other counties in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro, Benton County, Madison County among them, and every one of them gets $1,347 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, Washington ranks 3rd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 53% above the state median of $880 and about 32% above the national median county at $1,018. About 247,331 people live here, 3rd in the state.
Counties sharing the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro rate
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,080 in 72959 (Winslow) and $1,660 in 72730 (Farmington), with the 23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72701 | Fayetteville | $1,360 | +1.0% |
| 72702 | Fayetteville | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72703 | Fayetteville | $1,310 | -2.7% |
| 72704 | Fayetteville | $1,470 | +9.1% |
| 72717 | Canehill | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72727 | Elkins | $1,330 | -1.3% |
| 72728 | Elm Springs | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72729 | Evansville | $1,090 | -19.1% |
| 72730 | Farmington | $1,660 | +23.2% |
| 72735 | Goshen | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72737 | Greenland | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72741 | Johnson | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72744 | Lincoln | $1,320 | -2.0% |
| 72749 | Morrow | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72753 | Prairie Grove | $1,140 | -15.4% |
| 72762 | Springdale | $1,390 | +3.2% |
| 72764 | Springdale | $1,270 | -5.7% |
| 72765 | Springdale | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72766 | Springdale | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72769 | Summers | $1,220 | -9.4% |
| 72770 | Tontitown | $1,250 | -7.2% |
| 72774 | West Fork | $1,440 | +6.9% |
| 72959 | Winslow | $1,080 | -19.8% |
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 Washington somewhere between $1,212 and $1,482. 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.
$1,347 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $53,880 a year. Put another way, $26 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% ($1,212) | HAP at 100% ($1,347) | HAP at 110% ($1,482) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $462 | $597 | $732 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $12 | $147 | $282 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 21% from FY 2025 ($1,111) to FY 2026 ($1,347). Since FY 2020 it's up 67% in total, about 8.9% 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 | $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 2027 | $916 | $1,056 | $1,256 | $1,739 | $2,099 | -6.8% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,347 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,007 for a studio, $1,115 for one bedroom, $1,873 for three and $2,213 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 Washington actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Washington for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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