HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Jefferson County, Illinois (FY 2026)
$1,026 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Jefferson County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Jefferson is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,026
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$923 to $1,129
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$41,040
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Illinois
41st of 102
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Jefferson moves to $994. 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 Jefferson actually rent for?
Search any address in Jefferson 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 | $777 | $699 to $855 | $31,080 | $14.94/hr | +4.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $782 | $704 to $860 | $31,280 | $15.04/hr | +4.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,026 | $923 to $1,129 | $41,040 | $19.73/hr | +4.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,248 | $1,123 to $1,373 | $49,920 | $24.00/hr | +4.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,365 | $1,229 to $1,502 | $54,600 | $26.25/hr | +0.1% |
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 | $1,570 | $1,413 to $1,727 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,775 | $1,598 to $1,953 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,979 | $1,781 to $2,177 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,184 | $1,966 to $2,402 |
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 Jefferson, that runs from $777 for a studio up to $1,365 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Jefferson 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, Belle Rive included.
Among Illinois's 102 counties, Jefferson ranks 41st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 8% above the state median of $953 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 37,043 people live here, 37th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $920 in 62814 (Bluford) and $1,060 in 62898 (Woodlawn), 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 Jefferson somewhere between $923 and $1,129. 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.
$1,026 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $41,040 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% ($923) | HAP at 100% ($1,026) | HAP at 110% ($1,129) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $173 | $276 | $379 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($987) to FY 2026 ($1,026). Since FY 2020 it's up 43% in total, about 6.2% a year. The Illinois median moved up 6% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $470 | $556 | $715 | $902 | $969 | — |
| FY 2021 | $502 | $582 | $761 | $959 | $1,032 | +6.4% |
| FY 2022 | $571 | $615 | $809 | $1,038 | $1,097 | +6.3% |
| FY 2023 | $642 | $647 | $851 | $1,064 | $1,143 | +5.2% |
| FY 2024 | $679 | $683 | $898 | $1,126 | $1,196 | +5.5% |
| FY 2025 | $747 | $752 | $987 | $1,200 | $1,363 | +9.9% |
| FY 2026 | $777 | $782 | $1,026 | $1,248 | $1,365 | +4.0% |
| FY 2027 | $761 | $766 | $994 | $1,186 | $1,320 | -3.1% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,026 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $777 for a studio, $782 for one bedroom, $1,248 for three and $1,365 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 Jefferson actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Jefferson for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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