HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Chaffee County, Colorado (FY 2026)
$1,466 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Chaffee County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Chaffee is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,466
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,319 to $1,613
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$58,640
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Colorado
25th of 64
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Chaffee moves to $1,755. That's up 20%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Chaffee actually rent for?
Search any address in Chaffee 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 | $1,110 | $999 to $1,221 | $44,400 | $21.35/hr | +12.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,117 | $1,005 to $1,229 | $44,680 | $21.48/hr | +12.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,466 | $1,319 to $1,613 | $58,640 | $28.19/hr | +12.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,039 | $1,835 to $2,243 | $81,560 | $39.21/hr | +11.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,298 | $2,068 to $2,528 | $91,920 | $44.19/hr | +5.4% |
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 | $2,643 | $2,379 to $2,907 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,987 | $2,688 to $3,286 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,332 | $2,999 to $3,665 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,677 | $3,309 to $4,045 |
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 Chaffee, that runs from $1,110 for a studio up to $2,298 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Chaffee 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, Salida included.
Among Colorado's 64 counties, Chaffee ranks 25th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 18% above the state median of $1,247 and about 44% above the national median county at $1,018. About 19,564 people live here, 26th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,260 in 81242 (Poncha Springs) and $1,620 in 81201 (Salida), with the 6 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 Chaffee somewhere between $1,319 and $1,613. 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.
$1,466 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $58,640 a year. Put another way, $28 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% ($1,319) | HAP at 100% ($1,466) | HAP at 110% ($1,613) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $569 | $716 | $863 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $119 | $266 | $413 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 12% from FY 2025 ($1,304) to FY 2026 ($1,466). Since FY 2020 it's up 78% in total, about 10.1% a year. The Colorado median held flat over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $536 | $722 | $822 | $1,149 | $1,275 | — |
| FY 2021 | $601 | $799 | $911 | $1,167 | $1,434 | +10.8% |
| FY 2022 | $714 | $943 | $1,074 | $1,360 | $1,725 | +17.9% |
| FY 2023 | $861 | $1,041 | $1,176 | $1,545 | $2,003 | +9.5% |
| FY 2024 | $1,079 | $1,086 | $1,427 | $1,992 | $2,422 | +21.3% |
| FY 2025 | $987 | $994 | $1,304 | $1,827 | $2,180 | -8.6% |
| FY 2026 | $1,110 | $1,117 | $1,466 | $2,039 | $2,298 | +12.4% |
| FY 2027 | $1,304 | $1,342 | $1,755 | $2,362 | $2,725 | +19.7% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,466 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,110 for a studio, $1,117 for one bedroom, $2,039 for three and $2,298 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 Chaffee actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Chaffee for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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