HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Lucas County, Iowa (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Lucas County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $975 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Lucas keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$975
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$878 to $1,073
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$39,000
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Iowa
31st of 99
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Lucas moves to $951. That's down 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Lucas actually rent for?
Search any address in Lucas 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 | $724 | $652 to $796 | $28,960 | $13.92/hr | +0.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $743 | $669 to $817 | $29,720 | $14.29/hr | -0.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $975 | $878 to $1,073 | $39,000 | $18.75/hr | -0.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,250 | $1,125 to $1,375 | $50,000 | $24.04/hr | +6.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,302 | $1,172 to $1,432 | $52,080 | $25.04/hr | +0.5% |
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 | $1,497 | $1,347 to $1,647 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,693 | $1,524 to $1,862 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,888 | $1,699 to $2,077 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,083 | $1,875 to $2,291 |
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 Lucas, that runs from $724 for a studio up to $1,302 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Lucas 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, Chariton included.
Among Iowa's 99 counties, Lucas ranks 31st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 6% above the state median of $919 and about 4% below the national median county at $1,018. About 8,666 people live here, 85th 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 50238 (Russell) and $1,480 in 50151 (Lucas), with the 5 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 Lucas somewhere between $878 and $1,073. 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.
$975 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,000 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% ($878) | HAP at 100% ($975) | HAP at 110% ($1,073) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $128 | $225 | $323 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 0% from FY 2025 ($977) to FY 2026 ($975). Since FY 2020 it's up 24% in total, about 3.6% 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 | $571 | $599 | $789 | $983 | $1,069 | — |
| FY 2021 | $608 | $635 | $837 | $1,041 | $1,135 | +6.1% |
| FY 2022 | $635 | $667 | $878 | $1,085 | $1,191 | +4.9% |
| FY 2023 | $690 | $717 | $944 | $1,149 | $1,268 | +7.5% |
| FY 2024 | $717 | $747 | $981 | $1,186 | $1,306 | +3.9% |
| FY 2025 | $720 | $745 | $977 | $1,177 | $1,295 | -0.4% |
| FY 2026 | $724 | $743 | $975 | $1,250 | $1,302 | -0.2% |
| FY 2027 | $706 | $727 | $951 | $1,279 | $1,284 | -2.5% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$975 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $724 for a studio, $743 for one bedroom, $1,250 for three and $1,302 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 Lucas actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Lucas for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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