HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in DeSoto County, Florida (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in DeSoto County is $1,209 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,209
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,088 to $1,330
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$48,360
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Florida
50th of 67
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in DeSoto moves to $1,089. That's down 10%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in DeSoto actually rent for?
Search any address in DeSoto 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 | $1,053 | $948 to $1,158 | $42,120 | $20.25/hr | +26.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,060 | $954 to $1,166 | $42,400 | $20.38/hr | +26.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,209 | $1,088 to $1,330 | $48,360 | $23.25/hr | +24.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,663 | $1,497 to $1,829 | $66,520 | $31.98/hr | +29.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,865 | $1,679 to $2,052 | $74,600 | $35.87/hr | +44.6% |
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 | $2,145 | $1,931 to $2,360 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,425 | $2,183 to $2,668 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,704 | $2,434 to $2,974 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,984 | $2,686 to $3,282 |
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 DeSoto, that runs from $1,053 for a studio up to $1,865 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because DeSoto 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, Arcadia included.
Among Florida's 67 counties, DeSoto ranks 50th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 18% below the state median of $1,471 and about 19% above the national median county at $1,018. About 34,258 people live here, 48th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,350 in 34268 (Nocatee) and $1,490 in 34266 (Arcadia), with the 4 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 DeSoto somewhere between $1,088 and $1,330. 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.
$1,209 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $48,360 a year. Put another way, $23 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% ($1,088) | HAP at 100% ($1,209) | HAP at 110% ($1,330) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $338 | $459 | $580 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $9 | $130 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 24% from FY 2025 ($973) to FY 2026 ($1,209). Since FY 2020 it's up 59% in total, about 8.1% a year. The Florida median moved up 3% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $537 | $602 | $758 | $1,062 | $1,228 | — |
| FY 2021 | $622 | $625 | $738 | $993 | $1,106 | -2.6% |
| FY 2022 | $653 | $664 | $757 | $1,023 | $1,027 | +2.6% |
| FY 2023 | $716 | $732 | $827 | $1,097 | $1,111 | +9.2% |
| FY 2024 | $785 | $800 | $905 | $1,201 | $1,205 | +9.4% |
| FY 2025 | $831 | $835 | $973 | $1,285 | $1,290 | +7.5% |
| FY 2026 | $1,053 | $1,060 | $1,209 | $1,663 | $1,865 | +24.3% |
| FY 2027 | $948 | $954 | $1,089 | $1,497 | $1,679 | -9.9% |
Nearby counties
Charlotte County
$1,47020 mi · pop 189,900
Hardee County
$1,24825 mi · pop 25,528
Sarasota County
$1,95833 mi · pop 439,392
Highlands County
$1,27134 mi · pop 102,339
Lee County
$1,96140 mi · pop 772,902
Glades County
$1,25242 mi · pop 12,179
Manatee County
$1,95845 mi · pop 405,069
Hendry County
$1,27147 mi · pop 39,902
Questions people ask
$1,209 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,053 for a studio, $1,060 for one bedroom, $1,663 for three and $1,865 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 DeSoto actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in DeSoto for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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