HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in South Central Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut (FY 2026)
$1,969 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in South Central Connecticut Planning Region, and it's the baseline every voucher in South Central Connecticut is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,969
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,772 to $2,166
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$78,760
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Connecticut
3rd of 9
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in South Central Connecticut moves to $2,091. That's up 6%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in South Central Connecticut actually rent for?
Search any address in South Central Connecticut 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 | $1,372 | $1,235 to $1,509 | $54,880 | $26.38/hr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,591 | $1,432 to $1,750 | $63,640 | $30.60/hr |
| 2 bedroom | $1,969 | $1,772 to $2,166 | $78,760 | $37.87/hr |
| 3 bedroom | $2,433 | $2,190 to $2,676 | $97,320 | $46.79/hr |
| 4 bedroom | $2,872 | $2,585 to $3,159 | $114,880 | $55.23/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 | $3,303 | $2,973 to $3,633 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,734 | $3,361 to $4,107 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $4,164 | $3,748 to $4,580 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,595 | $4,136 to $5,055 |
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 South Central Connecticut Planning Region the five published rates run from $1,372 to $2,872, studio through four bedrooms.
South Central Connecticut is its own HUD metro area (New Haven, CT), so the rate here is set from rents inside the planning region rather than a wider region.
The state median two-bedroom FMR is $1,865. South Central Connecticut comes in at $1,969, about 6% above that, and ranks 3rd of 9 in Connecticut. Against the national median county ($1,018) it's about 93% above. Population is around 566,803.
Rates by town
Connecticut publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by planning region. All 15 towns in South Central Connecticut Planning Region share the same rate for FY 2026, so the planning region number is the town number wherever you are.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven town | 132,893 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Meriden town | 60,418 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Hamden town | 60,297 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| West Haven town | 55,147 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Milford town | 52,340 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Wallingford town | 44,039 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Branford town | 28,090 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| East Haven town | 27,729 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| North Haven town | 24,177 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Guilford town | 22,037 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Madison town | 17,577 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Orange town | 14,251 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| North Branford town | 13,487 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Woodbridge town | 9,041 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
| Bethany town | 5,280 | $1,372 | $1,591 | $1,969 | $2,433 | $2,872 |
Rates by ZIP code
HUD also publishes Small Area FMRs for the 44 ZIP codes it covers in South Central Connecticut. Two-bedroom rates run from $1,720 in 06492 (Wallingford) to $2,720 in 06443 (Madison), a $1,000 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06405 | Branford | $2,020 | +2.6% |
| 06437 | Guilford | $2,250 | +14.3% |
| 06443 | Madison | $2,720 | +38.1% |
| 06450 | Meriden | $1,780 | -9.6% |
| 06451 | Meriden | $1,750 | -11.1% |
| 06460 | Milford | $2,350 | +19.3% |
| 06461 | Milford | $2,700 | +37.1% |
| 06471 | North Branford | $2,230 | +13.3% |
| 06472 | Northford | $1,960 | -0.5% |
| 06473 | North Haven | $2,030 | +3.1% |
| 06477 | Orange | $2,650 | +34.6% |
| 06492 | Wallingford | $1,720 | -12.6% |
| 06493 | Wallingford | $1,969County rate | — |
| 06494 | Wallingford | $1,969County rate | — |
| 06495 | Wallingford | $1,969County rate | — |
| 06501 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06502 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06503 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06504 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06505 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06506 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06507 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06508 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06509 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06510 | New Haven | $2,600 | +32.0% |
| 06511 | New Haven | $2,040 | +3.6% |
| 06512 | New Haven | $1,900 | -3.5% |
| 06513 | New Haven | $1,790 | -9.1% |
| 06514 | Hamden | $2,160 | +9.7% |
| 06515 | New Haven | $2,080 | +5.6% |
| 06516 | West Haven | $1,930 | -2.0% |
| 06517 | Hamden | $1,860 | -5.5% |
| 06518 | Hamden | $2,630 | +33.6% |
| 06519 | New Haven | $1,880 | -4.5% |
| 06520 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06521 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06524 | Bethany | $2,100 | +6.7% |
| 06525 | New Haven | $2,410 | +22.4% |
| 06530 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
| 06531 | New Haven | $1,950 | -1.0% |
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 $1,772 and $2,166. 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 $78,760 a year to afford $1,969 a month. On a 40-hour week that's $38 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% ($1,772) | HAP at 100% ($1,969) | HAP at 110% ($2,166) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $1,022 | $1,219 | $1,416 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $572 | $769 | $966 |
Nearby counties
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region
$1,78816 mi · pop 452,303
Greater Bridgeport Planning Region
$2,51118 mi · pop 326,296
Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region
$1,86522 mi · pop 174,983
Western Connecticut Planning Region
$2,51130 mi · pop 621,232
Capitol Planning Region
$1,86534 mi · pop 969,029
Northwest Hills Planning Region
$1,61638 mi · pop 112,848
Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region
$1,86643 mi · pop 279,025
Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region
$1,60161 mi · pop 95,829
Questions people ask
$1,969 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,372 for a studio, $1,591 for one bedroom, $2,433 for three and $2,872 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 South Central Connecticut actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in South Central Connecticut for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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