HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · Effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Highlands County, Florida (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Highlands County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,271 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Highlands keys off that figure.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,271
+2.5% from FY 2025
Payment standard
$1,144–$1,398
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$50,840
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Florida
46th of 67
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Highlands moves to $1,259. That's down 1%. 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 | $876 | $788–$964 | $35,040 | $16.85/hr | +3.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,006 | $905–$1,107 | $40,240 | $19.35/hr | +5.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,271 | $1,144–$1,398 | $50,840 | $24.44/hr | +2.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,538 | $1,384–$1,692 | $61,520 | $29.58/hr | +0.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,017 | $1,815–$2,219 | $80,680 | $38.79/hr | +1.5% |
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 | $2,320 | $2,088–$2,552 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,622 | $2,360–$2,884 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,925 | $2,633–$3,218 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,227 | $2,904–$3,550 |
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 Highlands 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 Highlands somewhere between $1,144 and $1,398. 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.
$1,271 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $50,840 a year. Put another way, $24 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%$1,144 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,271 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,398 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $394 | $521 | $648 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $71 | $198 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,240) to FY 2026 ($1,271). Since FY 2020 it's up 50% in total, about 7.0% a year. The Florida median moved up 3% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $552 | $643 | $847 | $1,074 | $1,222 | — |
| FY 2021 | $575 | $661 | $871 | $1,100 | $1,183 | +2.8% |
| FY 2022 | $642 | $709 | $933 | $1,178 | $1,329 | +7.1% |
| FY 2023 | $707 | $757 | $997 | $1,239 | $1,495 | +6.9% |
| FY 2024 | $757 | $850 | $1,117 | $1,391 | $1,831 | +12.0% |
| FY 2025 | $850 | $951 | $1,240 | $1,525 | $1,987 | +11.0% |
| FY 2026In effect | $876 | $1,006 | $1,271 | $1,538 | $2,017 | +2.5% |
| FY 2027From Oct 1, 2026 | $877 | $1,022 | $1,259 | $1,500 | $1,905 | -0.9% |
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 Highlands, that runs from $876 for a studio up to $2,017 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Highlands is its own HUD metro area (Sebring, FL), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among Florida's 67 counties, Highlands ranks 46th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 14% below the state median of $1,471 and about 25% above the national median county at $1,018. About 102,339 people live here, 36th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,210 in 33825 (Avon Park) and $1,460 in 33872 (Sebring), with the 11 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.
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Highlands.
Hardee County
27 mi · 25,528 people
$1,248
-2%
DeSoto County
34 mi · 34,258 people
$1,209
-5%
Okeechobee County
34 mi · 39,870 people
$1,346
+6%
Glades County
38 mi · 12,179 people
$1,252
-1%
Polk County
44 mi · 736,229 people
$1,497
+18%
Hendry County
51 mi · 39,902 people
$1,271
same rate
Charlotte County
54 mi · 189,900 people
$1,470
+16%
Osceola County
56 mi · 393,745 people
$1,972
+55%
Questions people ask
$1,271 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $876 for a studio, $1,006 for one bedroom, $1,538 for three and $2,017 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 Highlands actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Highlands for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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