HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Poweshiek County, Iowa (FY 2026)
$988 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Poweshiek County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Poweshiek is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$988
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$889 to $1,087
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$39,520
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Iowa
28th of 99
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Poweshiek moves to $1,014. That's up 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Poweshiek actually rent for?
Search any address in Poweshiek 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 | $733 | $660 to $806 | $29,320 | $14.10/hr | +6.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $853 | $768 to $938 | $34,120 | $16.40/hr | +1.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $988 | $889 to $1,087 | $39,520 | $19.00/hr | +5.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,303 | $1,173 to $1,433 | $52,120 | $25.06/hr | +5.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,308 | $1,177 to $1,439 | $52,320 | $25.15/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 | $1,504 | $1,354 to $1,654 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,700 | $1,530 to $1,870 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,897 | $1,707 to $2,087 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,093 | $1,884 to $2,302 |
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 Poweshiek, that runs from $733 for a studio up to $1,308 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Poweshiek 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, Grinnell included.
Among Iowa's 99 counties, Poweshiek ranks 28th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 8% above the state median of $919 and about 3% below the national median county at $1,018. About 18,608 people live here, 37th 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 50157 (Malcom) and $1,040 in 50171 (Montezuma), with the 8 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 Poweshiek somewhere between $889 and $1,087. 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.
$988 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,520 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% ($889) | HAP at 100% ($988) | HAP at 110% ($1,087) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $139 | $238 | $337 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 6% from FY 2025 ($934) to FY 2026 ($988). Since FY 2020 it's up 35% in total, about 5.1% 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 | $529 | $555 | $731 | $938 | $1,077 | — |
| FY 2021 | $555 | $589 | $765 | $1,024 | $1,078 | +4.7% |
| FY 2022 | $577 | $637 | $798 | $1,078 | $1,082 | +4.3% |
| FY 2023 | $616 | $729 | $843 | $1,128 | $1,132 | +5.6% |
| FY 2024 | $661 | $806 | $905 | $1,201 | $1,205 | +7.4% |
| FY 2025 | $688 | $840 | $934 | $1,234 | $1,238 | +3.2% |
| FY 2026 | $733 | $853 | $988 | $1,303 | $1,308 | +5.8% |
| FY 2027 | $729 | $854 | $1,014 | $1,403 | $1,433 | +2.6% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$988 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $733 for a studio, $853 for one bedroom, $1,303 for three and $1,308 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 Poweshiek actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Poweshiek for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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