HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,865 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Lower Connecticut River Valley keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,865
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,679 to $2,052
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$74,600
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Connecticut
6th of 9
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Lower Connecticut River Valley moves to $1,933. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Lower Connecticut River Valley actually rent for?
Search any address in Lower Connecticut River Valley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,286 | $1,157 to $1,415 | $51,440 | $24.73/hr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,477 | $1,329 to $1,625 | $59,080 | $28.40/hr |
| 2 bedroom | $1,865 | $1,679 to $2,052 | $74,600 | $35.87/hr |
| 3 bedroom | $2,236 | $2,012 to $2,460 | $89,440 | $43.00/hr |
| 4 bedroom | $2,538 | $2,284 to $2,792 | $101,520 | $48.81/hr |
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 | $2,919 | $2,627 to $3,211 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,299 | $2,969 to $3,629 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,680 | $3,312 to $4,048 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,061 | $3,655 to $4,467 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
HUD sets Fair Market Rent once a year, based on what typical units in the area actually rent for, with utilities folded in. FY 2026 runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, and in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region the five published rates run from $1,286 to $2,538, studio through four bedrooms.
Lower Connecticut River Valley doesn't get its own number. It sits inside the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford metro and shares one rate with one other planning region, including Capitol Planning Region. HUD sets metro FMRs from rents across the whole metro, which is why a rural corner of a big metro can carry a city-sized rate.
The state median two-bedroom FMR is $1,865. Lower Connecticut River Valley comes in at $1,865, within a couple percent of that, and ranks 6th of 9 in Connecticut. Against the national median county ($1,018) it's about 83% above. Population is around 174,983.
Rates by town
Connecticut publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by planning region. The 17 towns in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region don't all get the same number. Two-bedroom rates run from $1,865 to $1,865 depending on the town, so the headline figure above is a population-weighted average and the town table is the one to use.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middletown townLowestHighest | 47,646 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| Cromwell town | 14,301 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| Clinton town | 13,317 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,539 |
| East Hampton town | 12,834 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| Old Saybrook town | 10,515 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,539 |
| Portland town | 9,421 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| East Haddam town | 8,934 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| Haddam town | 8,562 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| Old Lyme town | 7,644 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| Durham town | 7,182 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| Westbrook town | 6,832 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,539 |
| Essex town | 6,766 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,539 |
| Killingworth town | 6,219 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,539 |
| Deep River town | 4,432 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,539 |
| Middlefield town | 4,236 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| Chester town | 3,786 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
| Lyme town | 2,356 | $1,286 | $1,477 | $1,865 | $2,236 | $2,537 |
Counties sharing the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford metro rate
Rates by ZIP code
HUD also publishes Small Area FMRs for the 26 ZIP codes it covers in Lower Connecticut River Valley. Two-bedroom rates run from $1,520 in 06409 (Centerbrook) to $2,430 in 06371 (Old Lyme), a $910 spread inside one planning region. Whether your housing authority uses the ZIP rate or the planning region rate depends on whether HUD has designated this area for Small Area FMRs. Ask the PHA which one it's on before you price a unit.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06371 | Old Lyme | $2,430 | +30.3% |
| 06376 | South Lyme | $2,430 | +30.3% |
| 06409 | Centerbrook | $1,520 | -18.5% |
| 06412 | Chester | $1,870 | +0.3% |
| 06413 | Clinton | $1,820 | -2.4% |
| 06414 | Cobalt | $1,750 | -6.2% |
| 06416 | Cromwell | $1,930 | +3.5% |
| 06417 | Deep River | $1,900 | +1.9% |
| 06419 | Killingworth | $2,250 | +20.6% |
| 06422 | Durham | $2,370 | +27.1% |
| 06423 | East Haddam | $2,040 | +9.4% |
| 06424 | East Hampton | $1,920 | +2.9% |
| 06426 | Essex | $2,130 | +14.2% |
| 06438 | Haddam | $2,350 | +26.0% |
| 06439 | Hadlyme | $2,430 | +30.3% |
| 06441 | Higganum | $1,650 | -11.5% |
| 06442 | Ivoryton | $1,730 | -7.2% |
| 06455 | Middlefield | $1,650 | -11.5% |
| 06456 | Middle Haddam | $1,920 | +2.9% |
| 06457 | Middletown | $1,930 | +3.5% |
| 06459 | Middletown | $1,930 | +3.5% |
| 06469 | Moodus | $1,690 | -9.4% |
| 06475 | Old Saybrook | $2,420 | +29.8% |
| 06480 | Portland | $1,640 | -12.1% |
| 06481 | Rockfall | $1,610 | -13.7% |
| 06498 | Westbrook | $1,790 | -4.0% |
What a voucher pays here
The FMR isn't the check you'd receive. Your local housing authority turns it into a payment standard, set between 90% and 110% of FMR, so a two-bedroom here lands between $1,679 and $2,052. Subtract about 30% of the tenant's income and that's the housing assistance payment. If you ask more than similar unassisted units rent for, the PHA's rent reasonableness check will push back.
At the standard 30% of income, a household needs about $74,600 a year to afford $1,865 a month. On a 40-hour week that's $36 an hour.
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% ($1,679) | HAP at 100% ($1,865) | HAP at 110% ($2,052) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $929 | $1,115 | $1,302 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $479 | $665 | $852 |
Nearby counties
South Central Connecticut Planning Region
$1,96922 mi · pop 566,803
Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region
$1,86622 mi · pop 279,025
Capitol Planning Region
$1,86525 mi · pop 969,029
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
$1,78829 mi · pop 452,303
Greater Bridgeport Planning Region
$2,51140 mi · pop 326,296
Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region
$1,60140 mi · pop 95,829
Northwest Hills Planning Region
$1,61645 mi · pop 112,848
Western Connecticut Planning Region
$2,51152 mi · pop 621,232
Questions people ask
$1,865 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,286 for a studio, $1,477 for one bedroom, $2,236 for three and $2,538 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 Lower Connecticut River Valley actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Lower Connecticut River Valley for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.