HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Kennebec County, Maine (FY 2027)
A two-bedroom in Kennebec County carries a FY 2027 Fair Market Rent of $1,374 a month, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Everything Section 8 pays in Kennebec keys off that figure.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,374
-3.0% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,237–$1,511
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$54,960
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Maine
8th of 16
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 | $1,043 | $939–$1,147 | $41,720 | $20.06/hr | -3.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,050 | $945–$1,155 | $42,000 | $20.19/hr | -3.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,374 | $1,237–$1,511 | $54,960 | $26.42/hr | -3.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,767 | $1,590–$1,944 | $70,680 | $33.98/hr | -2.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,167 | $1,950–$2,384 | $86,680 | $41.67/hr | +0.4% |
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 | $2,492 | $2,243–$2,741 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,817 | $2,535–$3,099 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,142 | $2,828–$3,456 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,467 | $3,120–$3,814 |
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 Kennebec actually rent for?
Search any address in Kennebec 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 Kennebec somewhere between $1,237 and $1,511. 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.
$1,374 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $54,960 a year. Put another way, $26 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%$1,237 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,374 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,511 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $487 | $624 | $761 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $37 | $174 | $311 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 3% from FY 2026 ($1,416) to FY 2027 ($1,374). Since FY 2020 it's up 72% in total, about 8.1% a year. The Maine median moved down 4% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $642 | $650 | $799 | $1,042 | $1,101 | — |
| FY 2021 | $676 | $677 | $842 | $1,084 | $1,207 | +5.4% |
| FY 2022 | $693 | $704 | $888 | $1,128 | $1,311 | +5.5% |
| FY 2023 | $754 | $759 | $971 | $1,203 | $1,443 | +9.3% |
| FY 2024 | $857 | $860 | $1,104 | $1,374 | $1,622 | +13.7% |
| FY 2025 | $895 | $901 | $1,160 | $1,454 | $1,739 | +5.1% |
| FY 2026 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 | +22.1% |
| FY 2027In effect | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 | -3.0% |
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 Kennebec, that runs from $1,043 for a studio up to $2,167 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Kennebec 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, Augusta included.
Among Maine's 16 counties, Kennebec ranks 8th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,371 and about 29% above the national median county at $1,063. About 126,808 people live here, 4th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,280 in 04344 (Farmingdale) and $1,920 in 04349 (Kents Hill), with the 33 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04259 | Monmouth | $1,530 | +11.4% |
| 04265 | North Monmouth | $1,700 | +23.7% |
| 04284 | Wayne | $1,530 | +11.4% |
| 04330 | Augusta | $1,350 | -1.7% |
| 04332 | Augusta | $1,370 | -0.3% |
| 04333 | Augusta | $1,370 | -0.3% |
| 04336 | Augusta | $1,374County rate | — |
| 04338 | Augusta | $1,370 | -0.3% |
| 04343 | East Winthrop | $1,370 | -0.3% |
| 04344 | Farmingdale | $1,280 | -6.8% |
| 04345 | Gardiner | $1,420 | +3.3% |
| 04346 | Randolph | $1,430 | +4.1% |
| 04347 | Hallowell | $1,280 | -6.8% |
| 04349 | Kents Hill | $1,920 | +39.7% |
| 04350 | Litchfield | $1,440 | +4.8% |
| 04351 | Manchester | $1,340 | -2.5% |
| 04352 | Mount Vernon | $1,280 | -6.8% |
| 04355 | Readfield | $1,380 | +0.4% |
| 04358 | South China | $1,370 | -0.3% |
| 04359 | South Gardiner | $1,390 | +1.2% |
| 04360 | Vienna | $1,280 | -6.8% |
| 04363 | Windsor | $1,510 | +9.9% |
| 04364 | Winthrop | $1,430 | +4.1% |
| 04901 | Waterville | $1,360 | -1.0% |
| 04903 | Waterville | $1,370 | -0.3% |
| 04910 | Albion | $1,880 | +36.8% |
| 04917 | Belgrade | $1,280 | -6.8% |
| 04918 | Belgrade Lakes | $1,280 | -6.8% |
| 04926 | China Village | $1,370 | -0.3% |
| 04927 | Clinton | $1,490 | +8.4% |
| 04935 | East Vassalboro | $1,370 | -0.3% |
| 04962 | North Vassalboro | $1,370 | -0.3% |
| 04963 | Oakland | $1,280 | -6.8% |
| 04989 | Vassalboro | $1,450 | +5.5% |
Rates by town
Maine publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 30 towns in Kennebec County share the same rate for FY 2027, so the county number is the town number wherever you are.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta city | 19,077 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Waterville city | 17,077 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Winslow town | 8,023 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Oakland town | 6,309 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Winthrop town | 6,191 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Gardiner city | 6,088 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Sidney town | 4,790 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Vassalboro town | 4,592 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| China town | 4,526 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Monmouth town | 4,162 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| West Gardiner town | 3,696 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Litchfield town | 3,680 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Clinton town | 3,385 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Belgrade town | 3,351 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Pittston town | 3,093 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Farmingdale town | 3,017 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Chelsea town | 2,823 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Benton town | 2,770 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Windsor town | 2,690 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Readfield town | 2,651 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Hallowell city | 2,592 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Manchester town | 2,424 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Albion town | 2,204 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Mount Vernon town | 1,716 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Randolph town | 1,610 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Fayette town | 1,383 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Rome town | 1,215 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Wayne town | 1,101 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Vienna town | 536 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
| Unity UT | 36 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Kennebec.
Androscoggin County
27 mi · 113,423 people
$1,677
+22%
Lincoln County
31 mi · 36,099 people
$1,307
-5%
Sagadahoc County
32 mi · 37,285 people
$1,659
+21%
Waldo County
34 mi · 40,192 people
$1,367
-1%
Franklin County
35 mi · 30,413 people
$1,264
-8%
Somerset County
38 mi · 50,959 people
$1,242
-10%
Knox County
40 mi · 41,003 people
$1,503
+9%
Oxford County
44 mi · 59,255 people
$1,224
-11%
Questions people ask
$1,374 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $1,043 for a studio, $1,050 for one bedroom, $1,767 for three and $2,167 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 Kennebec actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Kennebec for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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