HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · Effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Sussex County, Delaware (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Sussex County is $1,399 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,399
+0.1% from FY 2025
Payment standard
$1,259–$1,539
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$55,960
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Delaware
3rd of 3
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Sussex moves to $1,498. That's up 7%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
FY 2026 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,059 | $953–$1,165 | $42,360 | $20.37/hr | +2.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,066 | $959–$1,173 | $42,640 | $20.50/hr | 0.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,399 | $1,259–$1,539 | $55,960 | $26.90/hr | +0.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,757 | $1,581–$1,933 | $70,280 | $33.79/hr | -0.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,172 | $1,955–$2,389 | $86,880 | $41.77/hr | -1.1% |
Five to eight 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 | $2,498 | $2,248–$2,748 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,824 | $2,542–$3,106 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,149 | $2,834–$3,464 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,475 | $3,128–$3,823 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Sussex actually rent for?
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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 Sussex somewhere between $1,259 and $1,539. 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.
$1,399 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $55,960 a year. Put another way, $27 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$1,259 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,399 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,539 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $509 | $649 | $789 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $59 | $199 | $339 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 0% from FY 2025 ($1,398) to FY 2026 ($1,399). Since FY 2020 it's up 48% in total, about 6.7% a year. The Delaware median moved down 1% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $637 | $731 | $948 | $1,369 | $1,549 | — |
| FY 2021 | $641 | $732 | $965 | $1,306 | $1,506 | +1.8% |
| FY 2022 | $651 | $733 | $964 | $1,289 | $1,515 | -0.1% |
| FY 2023 | $744 | $840 | $1,106 | $1,443 | $1,758 | +14.7% |
| FY 2024 | $909 | $988 | $1,298 | $1,656 | $2,037 | +17.4% |
| FY 2025 | $1,031 | $1,066 | $1,398 | $1,763 | $2,197 | +7.7% |
| FY 2026In effect | $1,059 | $1,066 | $1,399 | $1,757 | $2,172 | +0.1% |
| FY 2027From Oct 1, 2026 | $1,140 | $1,147 | $1,498 | $1,843 | $2,222 | +7.1% |
About this rate
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 Sussex, that runs from $1,059 for a studio up to $2,172 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Sussex 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, Bethany Beach included.
Among Delaware's 3 counties, Sussex ranks 3rd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 5% below the state median of $1,470 and about 37% above the national median county at $1,018. About 240,668 people live here, 2nd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,260 in 19931 (Bethel) and $2,100 in 19967 (Millville), with the 23 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.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19930 | Bethany Beach | $1,630 | +16.5% |
| 19931 | Bethel | $1,260 | -9.9% |
| 19933 | Bridgeville | $1,260 | -9.9% |
| 19939 | Dagsboro | $1,390 | -0.6% |
| 19940 | Delmar | $1,260 | -9.9% |
| 19941 | Ellendale | $1,360 | -2.8% |
| 19944 | Fenwick Island | $1,540 | +10.1% |
| 19945 | Frankford | $1,470 | +5.1% |
| 19947 | Georgetown | $1,390 | -0.6% |
| 19950 | Greenwood | $1,470 | +5.1% |
| 19951 | Harbeson | $1,530 | +9.4% |
| 19956 | Laurel | $1,260 | -9.9% |
| 19958 | Lewes | $1,850 | +32.2% |
| 19960 | Lincoln | $1,480 | +5.8% |
| 19963 | Milford | $1,350 | -3.5% |
| 19966 | Millsboro | $1,510 | +7.9% |
| 19967 | Millville | $2,100 | +50.1% |
| 19968 | Milton | $1,550 | +10.8% |
| 19969 | Nassau | $1,400 | +0.1% |
| 19970 | Ocean View | $1,640 | +17.2% |
| 19971 | Rehoboth Beach | $1,600 | +14.4% |
| 19973 | Seaford | $1,260 | -9.9% |
| 19975 | Selbyville | $1,560 | +11.5% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Sussex.
Questions people ask
$1,399 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,059 for a studio, $1,066 for one bedroom, $1,757 for three and $2,172 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The income a household needs for a given rent
What does a rental in Sussex actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Sussex for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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