HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Buena Vista County, Iowa (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Buena Vista County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,010 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Buena Vista keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,010
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$909 to $1,111
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$40,400
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Iowa
25th of 99
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Buena Vista moves to $1,031. That's up 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Buena Vista actually rent for?
Search any address in Buena Vista 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 | $765 | $689 to $842 | $30,600 | $14.71/hr | +6.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $770 | $693 to $847 | $30,800 | $14.81/hr | +5.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,010 | $909 to $1,111 | $40,400 | $19.42/hr | +5.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,240 | $1,116 to $1,364 | $49,600 | $23.85/hr | +6.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,337 | $1,203 to $1,471 | $53,480 | $25.71/hr | +5.7% |
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 | $1,538 | $1,384 to $1,692 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,738 | $1,564 to $1,912 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,939 | $1,745 to $2,133 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,139 | $1,925 to $2,353 |
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 Buena Vista, that runs from $765 for a studio up to $1,337 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Buena Vista 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, Albert City included.
Among Iowa's 99 counties, Buena Vista ranks 25th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 10% above the state median of $919 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 20,687 people live here, 31st 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 50510 (Albert City) and $1,280 in 51033 (Linn Grove), with the 9 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 Buena Vista somewhere between $909 and $1,111. 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.
$1,010 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $40,400 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($909) | HAP at 100% ($1,010) | HAP at 110% ($1,111) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $159 | $260 | $361 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 6% from FY 2025 ($954) to FY 2026 ($1,010). Since FY 2020 it's up 47% in total, about 6.6% a year. The Iowa median moved up 5% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $448 | $537 | $687 | $941 | $1,011 | — |
| FY 2021 | $472 | $561 | $715 | $965 | $1,020 | +4.1% |
| FY 2022 | $546 | $592 | $755 | $1,010 | $1,053 | +5.6% |
| FY 2023 | $595 | $628 | $814 | $1,083 | $1,107 | +7.8% |
| FY 2024 | $688 | $693 | $910 | $1,171 | $1,212 | +11.8% |
| FY 2025 | $722 | $727 | $954 | $1,169 | $1,265 | +4.8% |
| FY 2026 | $765 | $770 | $1,010 | $1,240 | $1,337 | +5.9% |
| FY 2027 | $781 | $788 | $1,031 | $1,284 | $1,355 | +2.1% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,010 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $765 for a studio, $770 for one bedroom, $1,240 for three and $1,337 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 Buena Vista actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Buena Vista for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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