HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Hardin County, Iowa (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Hardin County is $927 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$927
+0.9% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$834–$1,020
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$37,080
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Iowa
72nd of 99
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
FY 2027 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $688 | $619–$757 | $27,520 | $13.23/hr | +0.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $709 | $638–$780 | $28,360 | $13.63/hr | +1.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $927 | $834–$1,020 | $37,080 | $17.83/hr | +0.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,196 | $1,076–$1,316 | $47,840 | $23.00/hr | -1.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,335 | $1,202–$1,469 | $53,400 | $25.67/hr | -0.9% |
Five to eight 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 | $1,535 | $1,382–$1,689 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,736 | $1,562–$1,910 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,936 | $1,742–$2,130 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,136 | $1,922–$2,350 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Hardin actually rent for?
Search any address in Hardin for a rent estimate built from nearby comps, with the HUD figure right next to it.
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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 Hardin somewhere between $834 and $1,020. 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.
$927 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,080 a year. Put another way, $18 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$834 | Voucher pays at 100%$927 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $84 | $177 | $270 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 1% from FY 2026 ($919) to FY 2027 ($927). Since FY 2020 it's up 35% in total, about 4.4% a year. The Iowa median moved up 1% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $497 | $522 | $687 | $973 | $984 | — |
| FY 2021 | $519 | $543 | $715 | $984 | $1,003 | +4.1% |
| FY 2022 | $534 | $562 | $739 | $991 | $1,017 | +3.4% |
| FY 2023 | $581 | $604 | $795 | $1,057 | $1,130 | +7.6% |
| FY 2024 | $630 | $656 | $862 | $1,135 | $1,262 | +8.4% |
| FY 2025 | $646 | $668 | $877 | $1,159 | $1,269 | +1.7% |
| FY 2026 | $682 | $700 | $919 | $1,208 | $1,347 | +4.8% |
| FY 2027In effect | $688 | $709 | $927 | $1,196 | $1,335 | +0.9% |
About this rate
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 2027 that's October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. In Hardin, that runs from $688 for a studio up to $1,335 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Hardin 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, Alden included.
Among Iowa's 99 counties, Hardin ranks 72nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $927 and about 13% below the national median county at $1,063. About 16,639 people live here, 44th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $930 in 50006 (Alden) and $1,040 in 50122 (Hubbard), with the 12 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.
| ZIP | City | 2BR rate | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50006 | Alden | $930 | +0.3% |
| 50043 | Buckeye | $927County rate | — |
| 50102 | Garden City | $930 | +0.3% |
| 50122 | Hubbard | $1,040 | +12.2% |
| 50126 | Iowa Falls | $1,010 | +9.0% |
| 50206 | New Providence | $1,040 | +12.2% |
| 50230 | Radcliffe | $1,040 | +12.2% |
| 50258 | Union | $950 | +2.5% |
| 50259 | Gifford | $930 | +0.3% |
| 50269 | Whitten | $950 | +2.5% |
| 50601 | Ackley | $950 | +2.5% |
| 50627 | Eldora | $950 | +2.5% |
| 50672 | Steamboat Rock | $950 | +2.5% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Hardin.
Grundy County
24 mi · 12,384 people
$1,096
+18%
Hamilton County
24 mi · 14,886 people
$1,004
+8%
Franklin County
26 mi · 9,956 people
$927
same rate
Marshall County
27 mi · 40,114 people
$940
+1%
Story County
29 mi · 100,466 people
$1,061
+14%
Butler County
31 mi · 14,268 people
$927
same rate
Wright County
34 mi · 12,791 people
$944
+2%
Tama County
41 mi · 16,868 people
$945
+2%
Questions people ask
$927 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $688 for a studio, $709 for one bedroom, $1,196 for three and $1,335 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The income a household needs for a given rent
What does a rental in Hardin actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Hardin for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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