HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Norton County, Kansas (FY 2027)
A two-bedroom in Norton County carries a FY 2027 Fair Market Rent of $961 a month, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Everything Section 8 pays in Norton keys off that figure.
Two-bedroom FMR
$961
+9.6% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$865–$1,057
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$38,440
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Kansas
85th of 105
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 | $707 | $636–$778 | $28,280 | $13.60/hr | +10.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $839 | $755–$923 | $33,560 | $16.13/hr | +23.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $961 | $865–$1,057 | $38,440 | $18.48/hr | +9.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,331 | $1,198–$1,464 | $53,240 | $25.60/hr | +17.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,606 | $1,445–$1,767 | $64,240 | $30.88/hr | +25.9% |
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 | $1,847 | $1,662–$2,032 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,088 | $1,879–$2,297 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,329 | $2,096–$2,562 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,570 | $2,313–$2,827 |
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 Norton actually rent for?
Search any address in Norton 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 Norton somewhere between $865 and $1,057. 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.
$961 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $38,440 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%$865 | Voucher pays at 100%$961 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,057 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $115 | $211 | $307 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 10% from FY 2026 ($877) to FY 2027 ($961). Since FY 2020 it's up 35% in total, about 4.3% a year. The Kansas median moved up 10% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $524 | $627 | $714 | $974 | $1,039 | — |
| FY 2021 | $543 | $630 | $718 | $911 | $1,042 | +0.6% |
| FY 2022 | $568 | $654 | $745 | $921 | $1,069 | +3.8% |
| FY 2023 | $584 | $599 | $788 | $959 | $1,117 | +5.8% |
| FY 2024 | $633 | $684 | $882 | $1,066 | $1,244 | +11.9% |
| FY 2025 | $625 | $695 | $872 | $1,152 | $1,251 | -1.1% |
| FY 2026 | $643 | $678 | $877 | $1,132 | $1,276 | +0.6% |
| FY 2027In effect | $707 | $839 | $961 | $1,331 | $1,606 | +9.6% |
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 Norton, that runs from $707 for a studio up to $1,606 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Norton 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, Almena included.
Among Kansas's 105 counties, Norton ranks 85th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $961 and about 10% below the national median county at $1,063. About 5,359 people live here, 64th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
HUD also publishes Small Area FMRs by ZIP code. For the 4 ZIP codes it covers in Norton, the two-bedroom rate is $960 across the board, so there's no ZIP-level story here.
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Norton.
Decatur County
22 mi · 2,726 people
$961
same rate
Graham County
29 mi · 2,389 people
$961
same rate
Phillips County
31 mi · 4,813 people
$961
same rate
Sheridan County
38 mi · 2,426 people
$961
same rate
Rooks County
43 mi · 4,813 people
$961
same rate
Trego County
53 mi · 2,777 people
$961
same rate
Gove County
57 mi · 2,799 people
$961
same rate
Rawlins County
58 mi · 2,516 people
$1,065
+11%
Questions people ask
$961 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $707 for a studio, $839 for one bedroom, $1,331 for three and $1,606 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 Norton actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Norton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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