HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Montezuma County, Colorado (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Montezuma County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,180 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Montezuma keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,180
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,062 to $1,298
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$47,200
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Colorado
35th of 64
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Montezuma moves to $1,280. 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 Montezuma actually rent for?
Search any address in Montezuma 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 | $852 | $767 to $937 | $34,080 | $16.38/hr | -3.8% |
| 1 bedroom | $906 | $815 to $997 | $36,240 | $17.42/hr | +1.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,180 | $1,062 to $1,298 | $47,200 | $22.69/hr | +0.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,569 | $1,412 to $1,726 | $62,760 | $30.17/hr | +9.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,850 | $1,665 to $2,035 | $74,000 | $35.58/hr | -5.9% |
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 | $2,128 | $1,915 to $2,341 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,405 | $2,165 to $2,646 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,683 | $2,415 to $2,951 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,960 | $2,664 to $3,256 |
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 Montezuma, that runs from $852 for a studio up to $1,850 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Montezuma 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, Cortez included.
Among Colorado's 64 counties, Montezuma ranks 35th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 5% below the state median of $1,247 and about 16% above the national median county at $1,018. About 26,070 people live here, 22nd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,060 in 81334 (Towaoc) and $1,440 in 81328 (Mancos), with the 8 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 Montezuma somewhere between $1,062 and $1,298. 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.
$1,180 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $47,200 a year. Put another way, $23 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% ($1,062) | HAP at 100% ($1,180) | HAP at 110% ($1,298) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $312 | $430 | $548 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $98 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 1% from FY 2025 ($1,170) to FY 2026 ($1,180). Since FY 2020 it's up 50% in total, about 7.0% 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 | $594 | $598 | $787 | $1,039 | $1,311 | — |
| FY 2021 | $684 | $688 | $907 | $1,151 | $1,429 | +15.2% |
| FY 2022 | $765 | $812 | $1,068 | $1,320 | $1,574 | +17.8% |
| FY 2023 | $847 | $852 | $1,122 | $1,366 | $1,911 | +5.1% |
| FY 2024 | $910 | $966 | $1,269 | $1,534 | $2,043 | +13.1% |
| FY 2025 | $886 | $892 | $1,170 | $1,436 | $1,965 | -7.8% |
| FY 2026 | $852 | $906 | $1,180 | $1,569 | $1,850 | +0.9% |
| FY 2027 | $953 | $1,025 | $1,280 | $1,772 | $1,988 | +8.5% |
Nearby counties
Dolores County
$1,11522 mi · pop 2,329
La Plata County
$1,58942 mi · pop 55,983
San Miguel County
$1,64545 mi · pop 8,082
San Juan County
$1,22758 mi · pop 690
Ouray County
$1,52667 mi · pop 4,936
Montrose County
$1,16868 mi · pop 42,823
Hinsdale County
$1,14581 mi · pop 911
Archuleta County
$1,33785 mi · pop 13,509
Questions people ask
$1,180 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $852 for a studio, $906 for one bedroom, $1,569 for three and $1,850 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 Montezuma actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Montezuma for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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