HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Muhlenberg County is $909 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$909
+5.0% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$818–$1,000
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$36,360
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Kentucky
108th of 120
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 | $650 | $585–$715 | $26,000 | $12.50/hr | +5.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $695 | $626–$765 | $27,800 | $13.37/hr | +5.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $909 | $818–$1,000 | $36,360 | $17.48/hr | +5.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,083 | $975–$1,191 | $43,320 | $20.83/hr | +4.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,220 | $1,098–$1,342 | $48,800 | $23.46/hr | -0.3% |
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 | $1,403 | $1,263–$1,543 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,586 | $1,427–$1,745 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,769 | $1,592–$1,946 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,952 | $1,757–$2,147 |
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 Muhlenberg actually rent for?
Search any address in Muhlenberg 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 Muhlenberg somewhere between $818 and $1,000. 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.
$909 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $36,360 a year. Put another way, $17 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%$818 | Voucher pays at 100%$909 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $68 | $159 | $250 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2026 ($866) to FY 2027 ($909). Since FY 2020 it's up 44% in total, about 5.4% a year. The Kentucky median moved up 3% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $448 | $507 | $631 | $786 | $856 | — |
| FY 2021 | $475 | $520 | $663 | $825 | $899 | +5.1% |
| FY 2022 | $482 | $512 | $674 | $833 | $914 | +1.7% |
| FY 2023 | $538 | $564 | $742 | $934 | $997 | +10.1% |
| FY 2024 | $616 | $647 | $850 | $1,068 | $1,188 | +14.6% |
| FY 2025 | $624 | $661 | $867 | $1,045 | $1,297 | +2.0% |
| FY 2026 | $619 | $660 | $866 | $1,038 | $1,224 | -0.1% |
| FY 2027In effect | $650 | $695 | $909 | $1,083 | $1,220 | +5.0% |
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 Muhlenberg, that runs from $650 for a studio up to $1,220 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Muhlenberg 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, Beech Creek included.
Among Kentucky's 120 counties, Muhlenberg ranks 108th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $925 and about 14% below the national median county at $1,063. About 30,591 people live here, 34th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $910 in 42325 (Bremen) and $1,100 in 42337 (Drakesboro), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42321 | Beech Creek | $1,040 | +14.4% |
| 42323 | Beechmont | $1,080 | +18.8% |
| 42324 | Belton | $990 | +8.9% |
| 42325 | Bremen | $910 | +0.1% |
| 42326 | Browder | $1,050 | +15.5% |
| 42330 | Central City | $1,000 | +10.0% |
| 42332 | Cleaton | $940 | +3.4% |
| 42337 | Drakesboro | $1,100 | +21.0% |
| 42339 | Dunmor | $920 | +1.2% |
| 42344 | Graham | $960 | +5.6% |
| 42345 | Greenville | $930 | +2.3% |
| 42367 | Powderly | $910 | +0.1% |
| 42374 | South Carrollton | $910 | +0.1% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Muhlenberg.
McLean County
21 mi · 9,114 people
$1,138
+25%
Ohio County
21 mi · 23,735 people
$909
same rate
Butler County
23 mi · 12,393 people
$909
same rate
Hopkins County
24 mi · 45,119 people
$959
+6%
Todd County
27 mi · 12,469 people
$1,054
+16%
Logan County
29 mi · 27,986 people
$913
same rate
Daviess County
35 mi · 103,648 people
$1,138
+25%
Christian County
37 mi · 72,069 people
$1,307
+44%
Questions people ask
$909 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $650 for a studio, $695 for one bedroom, $1,083 for three and $1,220 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 Muhlenberg actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Muhlenberg for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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