HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Lake County, Colorado (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Lake County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,343 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Lake keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,343
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,209 to $1,477
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$53,720
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Colorado
26th of 64
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Lake moves to $1,485. That's up 11%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Lake actually rent for?
Search any address in Lake 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 | $1,017 | $915 to $1,119 | $40,680 | $19.56/hr | +3.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,024 | $922 to $1,126 | $40,960 | $19.69/hr | +3.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,343 | $1,209 to $1,477 | $53,720 | $25.83/hr | +3.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,714 | $1,543 to $1,885 | $68,560 | $32.96/hr | +3.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,106 | $1,895 to $2,317 | $84,240 | $40.50/hr | +1.2% |
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 | $2,422 | $2,180 to $2,664 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,738 | $2,464 to $3,012 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,054 | $2,749 to $3,359 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,370 | $3,033 to $3,707 |
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 Lake, that runs from $1,017 for a studio up to $2,106 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Lake 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, Climax included.
Among Colorado's 64 counties, Lake ranks 26th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 8% above the state median of $1,247 and about 32% above the national median county at $1,018. About 7,403 people live here, 42nd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,350 in 80461 (Leadville) and $1,570 in 81251 (Twin Lakes), 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 Lake somewhere between $1,209 and $1,477. 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.
$1,343 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $53,720 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% ($1,209) | HAP at 100% ($1,343) | HAP at 110% ($1,477) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $459 | $593 | $727 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $9 | $143 | $277 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,302) to FY 2026 ($1,343). Since FY 2020 it's up 71% in total, about 9.3% 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 | $670 | $682 | $787 | $1,119 | $1,206 | — |
| FY 2021 | $746 | $763 | $870 | $1,245 | $1,370 | +10.5% |
| FY 2022 | $813 | $841 | $958 | $1,361 | $1,539 | +10.1% |
| FY 2023 | $796 | $859 | $970 | $1,379 | $1,567 | +1.3% |
| FY 2024 | $1,031 | $1,038 | $1,364 | $1,753 | $2,196 | +40.6% |
| FY 2025 | $986 | $992 | $1,302 | $1,664 | $2,082 | -4.5% |
| FY 2026 | $1,017 | $1,024 | $1,343 | $1,714 | $2,106 | +3.1% |
| FY 2027 | $1,103 | $1,143 | $1,485 | $1,913 | $2,306 | +10.6% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,343 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,017 for a studio, $1,024 for one bedroom, $1,714 for three and $2,106 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 Lake actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Lake for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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