HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Hardee County, Florida (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Hardee County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,248 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Hardee keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,248
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,123 to $1,373
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$49,920
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Florida
48th of 67
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Hardee moves to $1,124. 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 Hardee actually rent for?
Search any address in Hardee 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 | $1,058 | $952 to $1,164 | $42,320 | $20.35/hr | +35.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,064 | $958 to $1,170 | $42,560 | $20.46/hr | +35.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,248 | $1,123 to $1,373 | $49,920 | $24.00/hr | +24.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,691 | $1,522 to $1,860 | $67,640 | $32.52/hr | +26.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,094 | $1,885 to $2,303 | $83,760 | $40.27/hr | +56.3% |
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 | $2,408 | $2,167 to $2,649 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,722 | $2,450 to $2,994 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,036 | $2,732 to $3,340 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,350 | $3,015 to $3,685 |
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 Hardee, that runs from $1,058 for a studio up to $2,094 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Hardee 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, Bowling Green included.
Among Florida's 67 counties, Hardee ranks 48th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 15% below the state median of $1,471 and about 23% above the national median county at $1,018. About 25,528 people live here, 52nd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,230 in 33890 (Zolfo Springs) and $1,390 in 33865 (Ona), 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 Hardee somewhere between $1,123 and $1,373. 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.
$1,248 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $49,920 a year. Put another way, $24 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% ($1,123) | HAP at 100% ($1,248) | HAP at 110% ($1,373) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $373 | $498 | $623 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $48 | $173 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 24% from FY 2025 ($1,003) to FY 2026 ($1,248). Since FY 2020 it's up 71% in total, about 9.3% 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 | $611 | $614 | $731 | $1,015 | $1,202 | — |
| FY 2021 | $565 | $569 | $750 | $972 | $1,168 | +2.6% |
| FY 2022 | $591 | $595 | $783 | $971 | $1,202 | +4.4% |
| FY 2023 | $666 | $671 | $883 | $1,114 | $1,241 | +12.8% |
| FY 2024 | $718 | $723 | $950 | $1,235 | $1,327 | +7.6% |
| FY 2025 | $783 | $788 | $1,003 | $1,335 | $1,340 | +5.6% |
| FY 2026 | $1,058 | $1,064 | $1,248 | $1,691 | $2,094 | +24.4% |
| FY 2027 | $953 | $958 | $1,124 | $1,522 | $1,885 | -9.9% |
Nearby counties
DeSoto County
$1,20925 mi · pop 34,258
Highlands County
$1,27127 mi · pop 102,339
Polk County
$1,49733 mi · pop 736,229
Sarasota County
$1,95842 mi · pop 439,392
Charlotte County
$1,47043 mi · pop 189,900
Manatee County
$1,95843 mi · pop 405,069
Hillsborough County
$1,97745 mi · pop 1,468,560
Glades County
$1,25255 mi · pop 12,179
Questions people ask
$1,248 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,058 for a studio, $1,064 for one bedroom, $1,691 for three and $2,094 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 Hardee actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Hardee for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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