HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Lawrence County, Illinois (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Lawrence County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $946 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Lawrence keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$946
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$851 to $1,041
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$37,840
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Illinois
54th of 102
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Lawrence moves to $943. 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 Lawrence actually rent for?
Search any address in Lawrence 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 | $652 | $587 to $717 | $26,080 | $12.54/hr | +9.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $721 | $649 to $793 | $28,840 | $13.87/hr | +8.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $946 | $851 to $1,041 | $37,840 | $18.19/hr | +8.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,136 | $1,022 to $1,250 | $45,440 | $21.85/hr | +5.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,253 | $1,128 to $1,378 | $50,120 | $24.10/hr | +8.7% |
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 | $1,441 | $1,297 to $1,585 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,629 | $1,466 to $1,792 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,817 | $1,635 to $1,999 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,005 | $1,805 to $2,206 |
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 Lawrence, that runs from $652 for a studio up to $1,253 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Lawrence 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, Bridgeport included.
Among Illinois's 102 counties, Lawrence ranks 54th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $953 and about 7% below the national median county at $1,018. About 15,302 people live here, 72nd 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 62460 (Saint Francisville) and $950 in 62417 (Bridgeport), 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 Lawrence somewhere between $851 and $1,041. 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.
$946 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,840 a year. Put another way, $18 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% ($851) | HAP at 100% ($946) | HAP at 110% ($1,041) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $101 | $196 | $291 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 9% from FY 2025 ($870) to FY 2026 ($946). Since FY 2020 it's up 36% in total, about 5.2% 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 | $475 | $530 | $698 | $870 | $994 | — |
| FY 2021 | $476 | $531 | $700 | $911 | $1,125 | +0.3% |
| FY 2022 | $503 | $559 | $735 | $970 | $1,149 | +5.0% |
| FY 2023 | $531 | $588 | $774 | $1,009 | $1,101 | +5.3% |
| FY 2024 | $553 | $614 | $807 | $997 | $1,079 | +4.3% |
| FY 2025 | $597 | $663 | $870 | $1,075 | $1,153 | +7.8% |
| FY 2026 | $652 | $721 | $946 | $1,136 | $1,253 | +8.7% |
| FY 2027 | $657 | $721 | $943 | $1,153 | $1,239 | -0.3% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$946 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $652 for a studio, $721 for one bedroom, $1,136 for three and $1,253 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 Lawrence actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Lawrence for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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