HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Rio Blanco County, Colorado (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Rio Blanco County is $1,009 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,009
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$908 to $1,110
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$40,360
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Colorado
55th of 64
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Rio Blanco moves to $1,165. That's up 15%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Rio Blanco actually rent for?
Search any address in Rio Blanco 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 | $764 | $688 to $840 | $30,560 | $14.69/hr | +2.8% |
| 1 bedroom | $769 | $692 to $846 | $30,760 | $14.79/hr | +2.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,009 | $908 to $1,110 | $40,360 | $19.40/hr | +2.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,285 | $1,157 to $1,414 | $51,400 | $24.71/hr | +5.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,582 | $1,424 to $1,740 | $63,280 | $30.42/hr | +8.6% |
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 | $1,819 | $1,637 to $2,001 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,057 | $1,851 to $2,263 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,294 | $2,065 to $2,523 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,531 | $2,278 to $2,784 |
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 Rio Blanco, that runs from $764 for a studio up to $1,582 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Rio Blanco 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, Meeker included.
Among Colorado's 64 counties, Rio Blanco ranks 55th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 19% below the state median of $1,247 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 6,511 people live here, 45th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $970 in 81648 (Rangely) and $1,260 in 81641 (Meeker), 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 Rio Blanco somewhere between $908 and $1,110. 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.
$1,009 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $40,360 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($908) | HAP at 100% ($1,009) | HAP at 110% ($1,110) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $158 | $259 | $360 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($981) to FY 2026 ($1,009). Since FY 2020 it's up 25% in total, about 3.8% 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 | $608 | $612 | $806 | $1,071 | $1,103 | — |
| FY 2021 | $679 | $684 | $901 | $1,198 | $1,222 | +11.8% |
| FY 2022 | $751 | $756 | $995 | $1,302 | $1,349 | +10.4% |
| FY 2023 | $751 | $756 | $995 | $1,261 | $1,341 | 0.0% |
| FY 2024 | $804 | $810 | $1,064 | $1,332 | $1,585 | +6.9% |
| FY 2025 | $743 | $748 | $981 | $1,214 | $1,457 | -7.8% |
| FY 2026 | $764 | $769 | $1,009 | $1,285 | $1,582 | +2.9% |
| FY 2027 | $865 | $891 | $1,165 | $1,488 | $1,809 | +15.5% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,009 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $764 for a studio, $769 for one bedroom, $1,285 for three and $1,582 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 Rio Blanco actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Rio Blanco for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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