HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Rowan County, Kentucky (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Rowan County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $911 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Rowan keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$911
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$820 to $1,002
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$36,440
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Kentucky
55th of 120
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Rowan moves to $977. That's up 7%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Rowan actually rent for?
Search any address in Rowan 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 | $628 | $565 to $691 | $25,120 | $12.08/hr | +4.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $735 | $662 to $809 | $29,400 | $14.13/hr | +4.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $911 | $820 to $1,002 | $36,440 | $17.52/hr | +4.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,156 | $1,040 to $1,272 | $46,240 | $22.23/hr | +4.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,528 | $1,375 to $1,681 | $61,120 | $29.38/hr | +3.9% |
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 | $1,757 | $1,581 to $1,933 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,986 | $1,787 to $2,185 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,216 | $1,994 to $2,438 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,445 | $2,201 to $2,690 |
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 Rowan, that runs from $628 for a studio up to $1,528 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Rowan 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, Clearfield included.
Among Kentucky's 120 counties, Rowan ranks 55th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $900 and about 11% below the national median county at $1,018. About 24,551 people live here, 46th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $890 in 40351 (Morehead) and $1,020 in 40313 (Clearfield), with the 4 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 Rowan somewhere between $820 and $1,002. 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.
$911 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $36,440 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% ($820) | HAP at 100% ($911) | HAP at 110% ($1,002) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $70 | $161 | $252 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($876) to FY 2026 ($911). Since FY 2020 it's up 32% in total, about 4.7% a year. The Kentucky median moved up 3% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $491 | $607 | $691 | $861 | $1,080 | — |
| FY 2021 | $511 | $612 | $713 | $887 | $1,137 | +3.2% |
| FY 2022 | $504 | $603 | $704 | $870 | $1,162 | -1.3% |
| FY 2023 | $558 | $634 | $770 | $965 | $1,310 | +9.4% |
| FY 2024 | $588 | $704 | $867 | $1,104 | $1,471 | +12.6% |
| FY 2025 | $601 | $704 | $876 | $1,103 | $1,471 | +1.0% |
| FY 2026 | $628 | $735 | $911 | $1,156 | $1,528 | +4.0% |
| FY 2027 | $701 | $791 | $977 | $1,252 | $1,633 | +7.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$911 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $628 for a studio, $735 for one bedroom, $1,156 for three and $1,528 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 Rowan actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Rowan for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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