HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Mendocino County, California (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Mendocino County is $1,683 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,683
-1.8% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,515–$1,851
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$67,320
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in California
31st of 58
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
FY 2027 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,209 | $1,088–$1,330 | $48,360 | $23.25/hr | -4.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,287 | $1,158–$1,416 | $51,480 | $24.75/hr | -1.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,683 | $1,515–$1,851 | $67,320 | $32.37/hr | -1.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,330 | $2,097–$2,563 | $93,200 | $44.81/hr | -2.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,610 | $2,349–$2,871 | $104,400 | $50.19/hr | -6.4% |
Five to eight 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 | $3,002 | $2,702–$3,302 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,393 | $3,054–$3,732 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,785 | $3,407–$4,164 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,176 | $3,758–$4,594 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Mendocino actually rent for?
Search any address in Mendocino for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
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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 Mendocino somewhere between $1,515 and $1,851. 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.
$1,683 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $67,320 a year. Put another way, $32 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$1,515 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,683 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,851 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $765 | $933 | $1,101 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $315 | $483 | $651 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 2% from FY 2026 ($1,713) to FY 2027 ($1,683). Since FY 2020 it's up 43% in total, about 5.3% a year. The California median moved up 2% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $805 | $892 | $1,173 | $1,659 | $1,932 | — |
| FY 2021 | $908 | $941 | $1,240 | $1,740 | $2,103 | +5.7% |
| FY 2022 | $945 | $954 | $1,245 | $1,729 | $2,131 | +0.4% |
| FY 2023 | $988 | $995 | $1,305 | $1,844 | $2,223 | +4.8% |
| FY 2024 | $1,119 | $1,132 | $1,488 | $2,097 | $2,525 | +14.0% |
| FY 2025 | $1,173 | $1,220 | $1,601 | $2,243 | $2,688 | +7.6% |
| FY 2026 | $1,269 | $1,306 | $1,713 | $2,382 | $2,789 | +7.0% |
| FY 2027In effect | $1,209 | $1,287 | $1,683 | $2,330 | $2,610 | -1.8% |
About this rate
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 2027 that's October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. In Mendocino, that runs from $1,209 for a studio up to $2,610 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Mendocino 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, Albion included.
Among California's 58 counties, Mendocino ranks 31st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 2% below the state median of $1,725 and about 58% above the national median county at $1,063. About 90,244 people live here, 38th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,550 in 95587 (Piercy) and $2,550 in 95445 (Gualala), with the 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95410 | Albion | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95415 | Boonville | $1,610 | -4.3% |
| 95417 | Branscomb | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95418 | Calpella | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95420 | Caspar | $1,870 | +11.1% |
| 95427 | Comptche | $1,900 | +12.9% |
| 95428 | Covelo | $1,620 | -3.7% |
| 95429 | Dos Rios | $1,610 | -4.3% |
| 95432 | Elk | $1,690 | +0.4% |
| 95437 | Fort Bragg | $1,720 | +2.2% |
| 95445 | Gualala | $2,550 | +51.5% |
| 95449 | Hopland | $2,000 | +18.8% |
| 95454 | Laytonville | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95456 | Little River | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95459 | Manchester | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95460 | Mendocino | $2,260 | +34.3% |
| 95463 | Navarro | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95466 | Philo | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95468 | Point Arena | $2,160 | +28.3% |
| 95469 | Potter Valley | $1,860 | +10.5% |
| 95470 | Redwood Valley | $1,670 | -0.8% |
| 95481 | Talmage | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95482 | Ukiah | $1,670 | -0.8% |
| 95488 | Westport | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95490 | Willits | $1,570 | -6.7% |
| 95494 | Yorkville | $1,940 | +15.3% |
| 95585 | Leggett | $1,680 | -0.2% |
| 95587 | Piercy | $1,550 | -7.9% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Mendocino.
Lake County
45 mi · 68,152 people
$1,616
-4%
Sonoma County
71 mi · 485,040 people
$2,819
+67%
Colusa County
72 mi · 21,984 people
$1,344
-20%
Glenn County
72 mi · 28,494 people
$1,361
-19%
Napa County
84 mi · 134,869 people
$3,375
+101%
Humboldt County
93 mi · 134,541 people
$1,554
-8%
Tehama County
93 mi · 65,167 people
$1,361
-19%
Trinity County
95 mi · 15,860 people
$1,153
-31%
Questions people ask
$1,683 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $1,209 for a studio, $1,287 for one bedroom, $2,330 for three and $2,610 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The income a household needs for a given rent
What does a rental in Mendocino actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Mendocino for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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