HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Hamilton County, Florida (FY 2026)
$981 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Hamilton County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Hamilton is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$981
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$883 to $1,079
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$39,240
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Florida
65th of 67
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Hamilton moves to $953. That's down 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Hamilton actually rent for?
Search any address in Hamilton 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 | $855 | $770 to $941 | $34,200 | $16.44/hr | +6.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $875 | $788 to $963 | $35,000 | $16.83/hr | +7.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $981 | $883 to $1,079 | $39,240 | $18.87/hr | +5.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,294 | $1,165 to $1,423 | $51,760 | $24.88/hr | +4.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,299 | $1,169 to $1,429 | $51,960 | $24.98/hr | +4.2% |
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 | $1,494 | $1,345 to $1,643 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,689 | $1,520 to $1,858 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,884 | $1,696 to $2,072 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,078 | $1,870 to $2,286 |
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 Hamilton, that runs from $855 for a studio up to $1,299 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Hamilton 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, Jasper included.
Among Florida's 67 counties, Hamilton ranks 65th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 33% below the state median of $1,471 and about 4% below the national median county at $1,018. About 13,492 people live here, 63rd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $970 in 32096 (White Springs) and $1,010 in 32053 (Jennings), with the 3 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 Hamilton somewhere between $883 and $1,079. 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.
$981 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,240 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($883) | HAP at 100% ($981) | HAP at 110% ($1,079) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $133 | $231 | $329 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2025 ($933) to FY 2026 ($981). Since FY 2020 it's up 37% in total, about 5.4% 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 | $609 | $627 | $714 | $1,014 | $1,070 | — |
| FY 2021 | $553 | $565 | $734 | $1,050 | $1,271 | +2.8% |
| FY 2022 | $572 | $575 | $757 | $1,075 | $1,144 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $623 | $628 | $826 | $1,157 | $1,161 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $684 | $689 | $905 | $1,260 | $1,265 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $806 | $811 | $933 | $1,242 | $1,247 | +3.1% |
| FY 2026 | $855 | $875 | $981 | $1,294 | $1,299 | +5.1% |
| FY 2027 | $840 | $872 | $953 | $1,223 | $1,256 | -2.9% |
Nearby counties
Suwannee County
$1,11023 mi · pop 43,881
Madison County
$1,08628 mi · pop 17,986
Lafayette County
$1,32329 mi · pop 8,107
Columbia County
$1,31830 mi · pop 69,832
Jefferson County
$1,35237 mi · pop 14,458
Baker County
$1,10343 mi · pop 27,969
Taylor County
$1,01848 mi · pop 21,421
Union County
$1,13249 mi · pop 15,524
Questions people ask
$981 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $855 for a studio, $875 for one bedroom, $1,294 for three and $1,299 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 Hamilton actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Hamilton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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