HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Tama County, Iowa (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Tama County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $941 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Tama keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$941
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$847 to $1,035
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$37,640
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Iowa
42nd of 99
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Tama moves to $945. That's unchanged. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Tama actually rent for?
Search any address in Tama 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 | $698 | $628 to $768 | $27,920 | $13.42/hr | +3.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $717 | $645 to $789 | $28,680 | $13.79/hr | +2.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $941 | $847 to $1,035 | $37,640 | $18.10/hr | +2.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,174 | $1,057 to $1,291 | $46,960 | $22.58/hr | +6.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,330 | $1,197 to $1,463 | $53,200 | $25.58/hr | -0.2% |
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 | $1,530 | $1,377 to $1,683 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,729 | $1,556 to $1,902 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,929 | $1,736 to $2,122 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,128 | $1,915 to $2,341 |
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 Tama, that runs from $698 for a studio up to $1,330 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Tama 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, Montour included.
Among Iowa's 99 counties, Tama ranks 42nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 2% above the state median of $919 and about 8% below the national median county at $1,018. About 17,017 people live here, 42nd 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 50632 (Garwin) and $1,200 in 50173 (Montour), with the 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50173 | Montour | $1,200 | +27.5% |
| 50612 | Buckingham | $1,010 | +7.3% |
| 50632 | Garwin | $920 | -2.2% |
| 50635 | Gladbrook | $920 | -2.2% |
| 50652 | Lincoln | $920 | -2.2% |
| 50675 | Traer | $990 | +5.2% |
| 52215 | Chelsea | $960 | +2.0% |
| 52217 | Clutier | $1,040 | +10.5% |
| 52224 | Dysart | $920 | -2.2% |
| 52225 | Elberon | $1,050 | +11.6% |
| 52339 | Tama | $920 | -2.2% |
| 52342 | Toledo | $1,050 | +11.6% |
| 52348 | Vining | $940 | -0.1% |
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 Tama somewhere between $847 and $1,035. 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.
$941 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,640 a year. Put another way, $18 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% ($847) | HAP at 100% ($941) | HAP at 110% ($1,035) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $97 | $191 | $285 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($915) to FY 2026 ($941). Since FY 2020 it's up 36% in total, about 5.2% 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 | $488 | $527 | $694 | $865 | $987 | — |
| FY 2021 | $483 | $550 | $725 | $902 | $1,106 | +4.5% |
| FY 2022 | $510 | $584 | $768 | $949 | $1,231 | +5.9% |
| FY 2023 | $552 | $628 | $826 | $1,005 | $1,295 | +7.6% |
| FY 2024 | $655 | $683 | $897 | $1,085 | $1,368 | +8.6% |
| FY 2025 | $674 | $697 | $915 | $1,102 | $1,332 | +2.0% |
| FY 2026 | $698 | $717 | $941 | $1,174 | $1,330 | +2.8% |
| FY 2027 | $702 | $722 | $945 | $1,198 | $1,317 | +0.4% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$941 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $698 for a studio, $717 for one bedroom, $1,174 for three and $1,330 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 Tama actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Tama for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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