HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Washington County, Colorado (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Washington County is $1,114 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,114
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,003 to $1,225
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$44,560
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Colorado
44th of 64
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Washington moves to $1,297. That's up 16%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Washington actually rent for?
Search any address in Washington 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 | $854 | $769 to $939 | $34,160 | $16.42/hr | +5.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $856 | $770 to $942 | $34,240 | $16.46/hr | +2.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,114 | $1,003 to $1,225 | $44,560 | $21.42/hr | +7.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,336 | $1,202 to $1,470 | $53,440 | $25.69/hr | +3.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,475 | $1,328 to $1,623 | $59,000 | $28.37/hr | +7.3% |
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 | $1,696 | $1,526 to $1,866 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,918 | $1,726 to $2,110 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,139 | $1,925 to $2,353 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,360 | $2,124 to $2,596 |
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 Washington, that runs from $854 for a studio up to $1,475 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Washington 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, Akron included.
Among Colorado's 64 counties, Washington ranks 44th 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 4,817 people live here, 53rd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,040 in 80743 (Otis) and $1,150 in 80720 (Akron), 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 Washington somewhere between $1,003 and $1,225. 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.
$1,114 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $44,560 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% ($1,003) | HAP at 100% ($1,114) | HAP at 110% ($1,225) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $253 | $364 | $475 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $25 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($1,037) to FY 2026 ($1,114). Since FY 2020 it's up 56% in total, about 7.7% 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 | $609 | $627 | $714 | $890 | $1,107 | — |
| FY 2021 | $699 | $715 | $815 | $1,014 | $1,105 | +14.1% |
| FY 2022 | $808 | $836 | $952 | $1,177 | $1,291 | +16.8% |
| FY 2023 | $801 | $863 | $975 | $1,242 | $1,310 | +2.4% |
| FY 2024 | $850 | $909 | $1,083 | $1,414 | $1,442 | +11.1% |
| FY 2025 | $808 | $836 | $1,037 | $1,294 | $1,375 | -4.2% |
| FY 2026 | $854 | $856 | $1,114 | $1,336 | $1,475 | +7.4% |
| FY 2027 | $963 | $991 | $1,297 | $1,545 | $1,705 | +16.4% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,114 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $854 for a studio, $856 for one bedroom, $1,336 for three and $1,475 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 Washington actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Washington for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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