HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Custer County, Colorado (FY 2026)
$1,112 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Custer County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Custer is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,112
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,001 to $1,223
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$44,480
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Colorado
45th of 64
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Custer moves to $1,202. That's up 8%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Custer actually rent for?
Search any address in Custer 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 | $853 | $768 to $938 | $34,120 | $16.40/hr | +8.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $856 | $770 to $942 | $34,240 | $16.46/hr | +7.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,112 | $1,001 to $1,223 | $44,480 | $21.38/hr | +6.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,333 | $1,200 to $1,466 | $53,320 | $25.63/hr | +0.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,743 | $1,569 to $1,917 | $69,720 | $33.52/hr | +4.6% |
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 | $2,004 | $1,804 to $2,204 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,266 | $2,039 to $2,493 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,527 | $2,274 to $2,780 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,789 | $2,510 to $3,068 |
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 Custer, that runs from $853 for a studio up to $1,743 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Custer 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, Westcliffe included.
Among Colorado's 64 counties, Custer ranks 45th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 11% below the state median of $1,247 and about 9% above the national median county at $1,018. About 4,885 people live here, 52nd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,110 in 81252 (Westcliffe) and $1,170 in 81253 (Wetmore), with the 2 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 Custer somewhere between $1,001 and $1,223. 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.
$1,112 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $44,480 a year. Put another way, $21 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% ($1,001) | HAP at 100% ($1,112) | HAP at 110% ($1,223) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $251 | $362 | $473 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $23 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($1,042) to FY 2026 ($1,112). Since FY 2020 it's up 49% in total, about 6.9% 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 | $562 | $566 | $745 | $970 | $1,308 | — |
| FY 2021 | $652 | $657 | $862 | $1,072 | $1,492 | +15.7% |
| FY 2022 | $747 | $752 | $990 | $1,224 | $1,590 | +14.8% |
| FY 2023 | $745 | $750 | $987 | $1,291 | $1,681 | -0.3% |
| FY 2024 | $837 | $843 | $1,107 | $1,423 | $1,782 | +12.2% |
| FY 2025 | $789 | $794 | $1,042 | $1,331 | $1,667 | -5.9% |
| FY 2026 | $853 | $856 | $1,112 | $1,333 | $1,743 | +6.7% |
| FY 2027 | $893 | $970 | $1,202 | $1,432 | $1,867 | +8.1% |
Nearby counties
Fremont County
$1,24419 mi · pop 49,107
Huerfano County
$1,01336 mi · pop 6,896
Pueblo County
$1,26936 mi · pop 168,135
Saguache County
$97542 mi · pop 6,454
Alamosa County
$99949 mi · pop 16,460
Teller County
$1,49353 mi · pop 24,758
El Paso County
$1,73560 mi · pop 730,323
Chaffee County
$1,46661 mi · pop 19,564
Questions people ask
$1,112 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $853 for a studio, $856 for one bedroom, $1,333 for three and $1,743 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 Custer actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Custer for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.