HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Polk County, Georgia (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Polk County is $1,018 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,018
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$916 to $1,120
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$40,720
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Georgia
90th of 159
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Polk moves to $1,017. That's unchanged. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Polk actually rent for?
Search any address in Polk 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 | $771 | $694 to $848 | $30,840 | $14.83/hr | +9.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $776 | $698 to $854 | $31,040 | $14.92/hr | +9.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,018 | $916 to $1,120 | $40,720 | $19.58/hr | +9.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,290 | $1,161 to $1,419 | $51,600 | $24.81/hr | +9.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,348 | $1,213 to $1,483 | $53,920 | $25.92/hr | +8.9% |
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 | $1,550 | $1,395 to $1,705 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,752 | $1,577 to $1,927 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,955 | $1,760 to $2,151 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,157 | $1,941 to $2,373 |
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 Polk, that runs from $771 for a studio up to $1,348 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Polk 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, Aragon included.
Among Georgia's 159 counties, Polk ranks 90th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 5% below the state median of $1,074 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 43,019 people live here, 49th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,020 in 30138 (Esom Hill) and $1,190 in 30153 (Rockmart), 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 Polk somewhere between $916 and $1,120. 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.
$1,018 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $40,720 a year. Put another way, $20 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% ($916) | HAP at 100% ($1,018) | HAP at 110% ($1,120) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $166 | $268 | $370 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 9% from FY 2025 ($934) to FY 2026 ($1,018). Since FY 2020 it's up 39% in total, about 5.7% a year. The Georgia median moved up 9% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $551 | $554 | $730 | $945 | $989 | — |
| FY 2021 | $542 | $546 | $719 | $928 | $975 | -1.5% |
| FY 2022 | $554 | $558 | $734 | $945 | $995 | +2.1% |
| FY 2023 | $623 | $628 | $826 | $1,052 | $1,110 | +12.5% |
| FY 2024 | $699 | $703 | $924 | $1,165 | $1,231 | +11.9% |
| FY 2025 | $707 | $712 | $934 | $1,177 | $1,238 | +1.1% |
| FY 2026 | $771 | $776 | $1,018 | $1,290 | $1,348 | +9.0% |
| FY 2027 | $772 | $777 | $1,017 | $1,296 | $1,439 | -0.1% |
Nearby counties
Haralson County
$1,10716 mi · pop 30,178
Floyd County
$1,19219 mi · pop 98,541
Paulding County
$1,82023 mi · pop 169,898
Bartow County
$1,82025 mi · pop 109,410
Carroll County
$1,82029 mi · pop 120,060
Douglas County
$1,82032 mi · pop 144,735
Chattooga County
$97336 mi · pop 24,902
Cobb County
$1,82036 mi · pop 765,813
Questions people ask
$1,018 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $771 for a studio, $776 for one bedroom, $1,290 for three and $1,348 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 Polk actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Polk for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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