HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Mahaska County, Iowa (FY 2027)
A two-bedroom in Mahaska County carries a FY 2027 Fair Market Rent of $946 a month, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Everything Section 8 pays in Mahaska keys off that figure.
Two-bedroom FMR
$946
-0.1% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$851–$1,041
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$37,840
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Iowa
42nd 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 | $718 | $646–$790 | $28,720 | $13.81/hr | +0.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $723 | $651–$795 | $28,920 | $13.90/hr | +0.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $946 | $851–$1,041 | $37,840 | $18.19/hr | -0.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,157 | $1,041–$1,273 | $46,280 | $22.25/hr | +1.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,243 | $1,119–$1,367 | $49,720 | $23.90/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 | $1,429 | $1,286–$1,572 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,616 | $1,454–$1,778 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,802 | $1,622–$1,982 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,989 | $1,790–$2,188 |
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 Mahaska actually rent for?
Search any address in Mahaska 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 Mahaska 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 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%$851 | Voucher pays at 100%$946 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,041 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $101 | $196 | $291 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 0% from FY 2026 ($947) to FY 2027 ($946). 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 | $508 | $533 | $702 | $880 | $964 | — |
| FY 2021 | $558 | $561 | $717 | $894 | $1,002 | +2.1% |
| FY 2022 | $577 | $581 | $747 | $923 | $1,021 | +4.2% |
| FY 2023 | $629 | $642 | $798 | $971 | $1,072 | +6.8% |
| FY 2024 | $588 | $663 | $867 | $1,048 | $1,159 | +8.6% |
| FY 2025 | $616 | $685 | $899 | $1,083 | $1,192 | +3.7% |
| FY 2026 | $717 | $722 | $947 | $1,135 | $1,254 | +5.3% |
| FY 2027In effect | $718 | $723 | $946 | $1,157 | $1,243 | -0.1% |
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 Mahaska, that runs from $718 for a studio up to $1,243 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Mahaska 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, Barnes City included.
Among Iowa's 99 counties, Mahaska ranks 42nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 2% above the state median of $927 and about 11% below the national median county at $1,063. About 22,021 people live here, 28th 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 50027 (Barnes City) and $1,000 in 52577 (Oskaloosa), 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.
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Mahaska.
Keokuk County
20 mi · 9,924 people
$927
-2%
Wapello County
21 mi · 35,362 people
$1,076
+14%
Marion County
25 mi · 33,642 people
$1,021
+8%
Poweshiek County
25 mi · 18,545 people
$1,014
+7%
Monroe County
26 mi · 7,513 people
$927
-2%
Jasper County
34 mi · 37,954 people
$989
+5%
Jefferson County
38 mi · 15,705 people
$1,096
+16%
Davis County
39 mi · 9,157 people
$1,066
+13%
Questions people ask
$946 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $718 for a studio, $723 for one bedroom, $1,157 for three and $1,243 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 Mahaska actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Mahaska for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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