HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Union County, Kentucky (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Union County is $911 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
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
56th of 120
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Union moves to $971. 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 Union actually rent for?
Search any address in Union 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 | $651 | $586 to $716 | $26,040 | $12.52/hr | +2.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $694 | $625 to $763 | $27,760 | $13.35/hr | +3.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $911 | $820 to $1,002 | $36,440 | $17.52/hr | +3.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,092 | $983 to $1,201 | $43,680 | $21.00/hr | +2.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,206 | $1,085 to $1,327 | $48,240 | $23.19/hr | +2.9% |
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 | $1,387 | $1,248 to $1,526 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,568 | $1,411 to $1,725 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,749 | $1,574 to $1,924 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,930 | $1,737 to $2,123 |
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 Union, that runs from $651 for a studio up to $1,206 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Union 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, Morganfield included.
Among Kentucky's 120 counties, Union ranks 56th 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 13,495 people live here, 81st in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $870 in 42459 (Sturgis) and $1,070 in 42462 (Waverly), with the 5 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 Union 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 3% from FY 2025 ($884) to FY 2026 ($911). Since FY 2020 it's up 44% in total, about 6.3% 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 | $448 | $538 | $631 | $869 | $979 | — |
| FY 2021 | $475 | $553 | $663 | $887 | $926 | +5.1% |
| FY 2022 | $482 | $553 | $674 | $839 | $914 | +1.7% |
| FY 2023 | $541 | $611 | $746 | $908 | $1,002 | +10.7% |
| FY 2024 | $629 | $694 | $868 | $1,050 | $1,156 | +16.4% |
| FY 2025 | $636 | $674 | $884 | $1,065 | $1,172 | +1.8% |
| FY 2026 | $651 | $694 | $911 | $1,092 | $1,206 | +3.1% |
| FY 2027 | $716 | $742 | $971 | $1,157 | $1,320 | +6.6% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$911 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $651 for a studio, $694 for one bedroom, $1,092 for three and $1,206 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 Union actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Union for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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