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.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,271
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,144 to $1,398
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$50,840
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Florida
46th of 67
by 2BR FMR
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.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Highlands actually rent for?
Search any address in Highlands 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 | $876 | $788 to $964 | $35,040 | $16.85/hr | +3.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,006 | $905 to $1,107 | $40,240 | $19.35/hr | +5.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,271 | $1,144 to $1,398 | $50,840 | $24.44/hr | +2.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,538 | $1,384 to $1,692 | $61,520 | $29.58/hr | +0.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,017 | $1,815 to $2,219 | $80,680 | $38.79/hr | +1.5% |
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 | $2,320 | $2,088 to $2,552 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,622 | $2,360 to $2,884 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,925 | $2,633 to $3,218 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,227 | $2,904 to $3,550 |
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 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.
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, 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% ($1,144) | HAP at 100% ($1,271) | HAP 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.
| 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 2026 | $876 | $1,006 | $1,271 | $1,538 | $2,017 | +2.5% |
| FY 2027 | $877 | $1,022 | $1,259 | $1,500 | $1,905 | -0.9% |
Nearby counties
Hardee County
$1,24827 mi · pop 25,528
DeSoto County
$1,20934 mi · pop 34,258
Okeechobee County
$1,34634 mi · pop 39,870
Glades County
$1,25238 mi · pop 12,179
Polk County
$1,49744 mi · pop 736,229
Hendry County
$1,27151 mi · pop 39,902
Charlotte County
$1,47054 mi · pop 189,900
Osceola County
$1,97256 mi · pop 393,745
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
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 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.
Free tier. No credit card.