HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Mendocino County, California (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Mendocino County is $1,713 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,713
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,542 to $1,884
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$68,520
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in California
28th of 58
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Mendocino moves to $1,683. That's down 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
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.
FY 2026 Fair Market Rents
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,269 | $1,142 to $1,396 | $50,760 | $24.40/hr | +8.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,306 | $1,175 to $1,437 | $52,240 | $25.12/hr | +7.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,713 | $1,542 to $1,884 | $68,520 | $32.94/hr | +7.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,382 | $2,144 to $2,620 | $95,280 | $45.81/hr | +6.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,789 | $2,510 to $3,068 | $111,560 | $53.63/hr | +3.8% |
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 | $3,207 | $2,886 to $3,528 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,626 | $3,263 to $3,989 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $4,044 | $3,640 to $4,448 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,462 | $4,016 to $4,908 |
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 Mendocino, that runs from $1,269 for a studio up to $2,789 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 28th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,687 and about 68% above the national median county at $1,018. About 91,145 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 $1,540 in 95428 (Covelo) and $2,470 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 | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95415 | Boonville | $1,670 | -2.5% |
| 95417 | Branscomb | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95418 | Calpella | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95420 | Caspar | $1,860 | +8.6% |
| 95427 | Comptche | $1,940 | +13.3% |
| 95428 | Covelo | $1,540 | -10.1% |
| 95429 | Dos Rios | $1,550 | -9.5% |
| 95432 | Elk | $1,870 | +9.2% |
| 95437 | Fort Bragg | $1,700 | -0.8% |
| 95445 | Gualala | $2,470 | +44.2% |
| 95449 | Hopland | $1,990 | +16.2% |
| 95454 | Laytonville | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95456 | Little River | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95459 | Manchester | $1,680 | -1.9% |
| 95460 | Mendocino | $2,270 | +32.5% |
| 95463 | Navarro | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95466 | Philo | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95468 | Point Arena | $1,560 | -8.9% |
| 95469 | Potter Valley | $1,890 | +10.3% |
| 95470 | Redwood Valley | $1,810 | +5.7% |
| 95481 | Talmage | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95482 | Ukiah | $1,740 | +1.6% |
| 95488 | Westport | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95490 | Willits | $1,590 | -7.2% |
| 95494 | Yorkville | $1,940 | +13.3% |
| 95585 | Leggett | $1,710 | -0.2% |
| 95587 | Piercy | $1,580 | -7.8% |
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 Mendocino somewhere between $1,542 and $1,884. 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.
$1,713 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $68,520 a year. Put another way, $33 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% ($1,542) | HAP at 100% ($1,713) | HAP at 110% ($1,884) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $792 | $963 | $1,134 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $342 | $513 | $684 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($1,601) to FY 2026 ($1,713). Since FY 2020 it's up 46% in total, about 6.5% a year. The California median moved up 9% over the same year.
| 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 2027 | $1,209 | $1,287 | $1,683 | $2,330 | $2,610 | -1.8% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,713 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,269 for a studio, $1,306 for one bedroom, $2,382 for three and $2,789 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 Mendocino actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Mendocino for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.