HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Washington County, Kentucky (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Washington County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $929 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Washington keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$929
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$836 to $1,022
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$37,160
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Kentucky
48th of 120
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Washington moves to $939. That's up 1%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Washington actually rent for?
Search any address in Washington 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 | $664 | $598 to $730 | $26,560 | $12.77/hr | -0.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $708 | $637 to $779 | $28,320 | $13.62/hr | +0.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $929 | $836 to $1,022 | $37,160 | $17.87/hr | +0.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,226 | $1,103 to $1,349 | $49,040 | $23.58/hr | +10.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,323 | $1,191 to $1,455 | $52,920 | $25.44/hr | +4.5% |
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 | $1,521 | $1,369 to $1,673 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,720 | $1,548 to $1,892 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,918 | $1,726 to $2,110 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,117 | $1,905 to $2,329 |
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 Washington, that runs from $664 for a studio up to $1,323 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Washington 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, Mackville included.
Among Kentucky's 120 counties, Washington ranks 48th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 3% above the state median of $900 and about 9% below the national median county at $1,018. About 12,025 people live here, 91st in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $900 in 40061 (Saint Catharine) and $1,370 in 40040 (Mackville), 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 Washington somewhere between $836 and $1,022. 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.
$929 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $37,160 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% ($836) | HAP at 100% ($929) | HAP at 110% ($1,022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $86 | $179 | $272 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 0% from FY 2025 ($925) to FY 2026 ($929). Since FY 2020 it's up 42% in total, about 6.0% 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 | $465 | $497 | $654 | $815 | $1,129 | — |
| FY 2021 | $483 | $514 | $674 | $838 | $1,167 | +3.1% |
| FY 2022 | $484 | $524 | $676 | $836 | $1,145 | +0.3% |
| FY 2023 | $563 | $590 | $776 | $944 | $1,213 | +14.8% |
| FY 2024 | $657 | $690 | $907 | $1,097 | $1,295 | +16.9% |
| FY 2025 | $666 | $705 | $925 | $1,114 | $1,266 | +2.0% |
| FY 2026 | $664 | $708 | $929 | $1,226 | $1,323 | +0.4% |
| FY 2027 | $671 | $718 | $939 | $1,300 | $1,343 | +1.1% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$929 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $664 for a studio, $708 for one bedroom, $1,226 for three and $1,323 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 Washington actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Washington for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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