HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Cumberland County, Maine (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Cumberland County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $2,082 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Cumberland keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$2,082
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,874 to $2,290
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$83,280
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Maine
1st of 16
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Cumberland moves to $2,286. That's up 10%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Cumberland actually rent for?
Search any address in Cumberland 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 | $1,436 | $1,292 to $1,580 | $57,440 | $27.62/hr | +6.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,616 | $1,454 to $1,778 | $64,640 | $31.08/hr | +6.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $2,082 | $1,874 to $2,290 | $83,280 | $40.04/hr | +5.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,557 | $2,301 to $2,813 | $102,280 | $49.17/hr | +5.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,855 | $2,570 to $3,141 | $114,200 | $54.90/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 | $3,283 | $2,955 to $3,611 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,712 | $3,341 to $4,083 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $4,140 | $3,726 to $4,554 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,568 | $4,111 to $5,025 |
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 Cumberland, that runs from $1,436 for a studio up to $2,855 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Cumberland is its own HUD metro area (Portland, ME), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among Maine's 16 counties, Cumberland ranks 1st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 46% above the state median of $1,429 and about 105% above the national median county at $1,018. About 305,940 people live here, 1st in the state.
Rates by town
Maine publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. The 28 towns in Cumberland County don't all get the same number. Two-bedroom rates run from $1,833 to $2,130 depending on the town, so the headline figure above is a population-weighted average and the town table is the one to use.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland cityHighest | 68,505 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| South Portland city | 26,780 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Scarborough town | 22,747 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Brunswick townLowest | 22,081 | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 | $2,380 | $3,038 |
| Westbrook city | 20,484 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Windham town | 18,967 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Gorham town | 18,192 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Falmouth town | 12,631 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Standish town | 10,517 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Cape Elizabeth town | 9,547 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Yarmouth town | 9,006 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Freeport town | 8,736 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Cumberland town | 8,546 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Gray town | 8,331 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| New Gloucester town | 5,733 | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 | $2,380 | $3,038 |
| Bridgton town | 5,537 | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 | $2,380 | $3,038 |
| Harpswell town | 5,029 | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 | $2,380 | $3,038 |
| Raymond town | 4,577 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| North Yarmouth town | 4,173 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Naples town | 3,949 | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 | $2,380 | $3,038 |
| Casco town | 3,656 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Harrison town | 2,490 | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 | $2,380 | $3,038 |
| Sebago town | 2,111 | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 | $2,380 | $3,038 |
| Pownal town | 1,551 | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 | $2,380 | $3,038 |
| Baldwin town | 1,178 | $1,264 | $1,397 | $1,833 | $2,380 | $3,038 |
| Chebeague Island town | 568 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Long Island town | 300 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
| Frye Island town | 18 | $1,469 | $1,658 | $2,130 | $2,591 | $2,820 |
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,580 in 04040 (Harrison) and $3,200 in 04050 (Long Island), with the 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04003 | Bailey Island | $2,000 | -3.9% |
| 04009 | Bridgton | $1,620 | -22.2% |
| 04011 | Brunswick | $1,910 | -8.3% |
| 04013 | Bustins Island | $2,120 | +1.8% |
| 04015 | Casco | $1,810 | -13.1% |
| 04017 | Chebeague Island | $2,860 | +37.4% |
| 04019 | Cliff Island | $2,990 | +43.6% |
| 04021 | Cumberland Center | $2,190 | +5.2% |
| 04024 | East Baldwin | $1,740 | -16.4% |
| 04029 | Sebago | $1,800 | -13.5% |
| 04032 | Freeport | $2,210 | +6.1% |
| 04033 | Freeport | $2,120 | +1.8% |
| 04034 | Freeport | $2,082County rate | — |
| 04038 | Gorham | $1,960 | -5.9% |
| 04039 | Gray | $1,960 | -5.9% |
| 04040 | Harrison | $1,580 | -24.1% |
| 04050 | Long Island | $3,200 | +53.7% |
| 04055 | Naples | $2,230 | +7.1% |
| 04057 | North Bridgton | $1,620 | -22.2% |
| 04062 | Windham | $1,810 | -13.1% |
| 04066 | Orrs Island | $1,770 | -15.0% |
| 04069 | Pownal | $2,070 | -0.6% |
| 04070 | Scarborough | $2,120 | +1.8% |
| 04071 | Raymond | $2,040 | -2.0% |
| 04074 | Scarborough | $2,450 | +17.7% |
| 04077 | South Casco | $2,120 | +1.8% |
| 04078 | South Freeport | $2,120 | +1.8% |
| 04079 | Harpswell | $1,860 | -10.7% |
| 04082 | South Windham | $2,120 | +1.8% |
| 04084 | Standish | $2,020 | -3.0% |
| 04085 | Steep Falls | $2,220 | +6.6% |
| 04091 | West Baldwin | $1,740 | -16.4% |
| 04092 | Westbrook | $1,960 | -5.9% |
| 04096 | Yarmouth | $2,390 | +14.8% |
| 04097 | North Yarmouth | $2,250 | +8.1% |
| 04098 | Westbrook | $2,120 | +1.8% |
| 04101 | Portland | $2,190 | +5.2% |
| 04102 | Portland | $2,280 | +9.5% |
| 04103 | Portland | $2,150 | +3.3% |
| 04104 | Portland | $2,120 | +1.8% |
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 Cumberland somewhere between $1,874 and $2,290. 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.
$2,082 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $83,280 a year. Put another way, $40 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% ($1,874) | HAP at 100% ($2,082) | HAP at 110% ($2,290) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $1,124 | $1,332 | $1,540 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $674 | $882 | $1,090 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 6% from FY 2025 ($1,968) to FY 2026 ($2,082). Since FY 2020 it's up 45% in total, about 6.3% a year. The Maine median moved up 20% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $1,023 | $1,109 | $1,439 | $1,888 | $2,249 | — |
| FY 2021 | $1,053 | $1,180 | $1,529 | $1,987 | $2,373 | +6.3% |
| FY 2022 | $1,104 | $1,271 | $1,648 | $2,112 | $2,531 | +7.8% |
| FY 2023 | $1,204 | $1,395 | $1,797 | $2,265 | $2,614 | +9.0% |
| FY 2024 | $1,272 | $1,455 | $1,877 | $2,334 | $2,662 | +4.5% |
| FY 2025 | $1,350 | $1,525 | $1,968 | $2,420 | $2,747 | +4.8% |
| FY 2026 | $1,436 | $1,616 | $2,082 | $2,557 | $2,855 | +5.8% |
| FY 2027 | $1,624 | $1,815 | $2,286 | $2,824 | $3,117 | +9.8% |
Nearby counties
Sagadahoc County
$1,57725 mi · pop 37,093
Androscoggin County
$1,58627 mi · pop 112,323
York County
$1,87329 mi · pop 214,731
Lincoln County
$1,40340 mi · pop 35,840
Oxford County
$1,29541 mi · pop 58,728
Kennebec County
$1,41649 mi · pop 125,614
Knox County
$1,52663 mi · pop 40,860
Franklin County
$1,32268 mi · pop 30,145
Questions people ask
$2,082 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,436 for a studio, $1,616 for one bedroom, $2,557 for three and $2,855 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 Cumberland actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Cumberland for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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