HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Kennebec County, Maine (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Kennebec County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,416 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Kennebec keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,416
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,274 to $1,558
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$56,640
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Maine
10th of 16
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Kennebec moves to $1,374. That's down 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
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.
FY 2026 Fair Market Rents
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,082 | $974 to $1,190 | $43,280 | $20.81/hr | +20.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,090 | $981 to $1,199 | $43,600 | $20.96/hr | +21.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,416 | $1,274 to $1,558 | $56,640 | $27.23/hr | +22.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,819 | $1,637 to $2,001 | $72,760 | $34.98/hr | +25.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,158 | $1,942 to $2,374 | $86,320 | $41.50/hr | +24.1% |
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 | $2,482 | $2,234 to $2,730 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,805 | $2,525 to $3,086 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,129 | $2,816 to $3,442 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,453 | $3,108 to $3,798 |
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 Kennebec, that runs from $1,082 for a studio up to $2,158 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 10th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,429 and about 39% above the national median county at $1,018. About 125,614 people live here, 4th in the state.
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 2026, so the county number is the town number wherever you are.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta city | 18,999 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Waterville city | 16,704 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Winslow town | 7,982 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Oakland town | 6,284 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Winthrop town | 6,153 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Gardiner city | 6,047 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Sidney town | 4,726 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Vassalboro town | 4,544 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| China town | 4,475 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Monmouth town | 4,138 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| West Gardiner town | 3,683 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Litchfield town | 3,635 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Clinton town | 3,385 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Belgrade town | 3,298 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Pittston town | 3,008 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Farmingdale town | 3,001 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Chelsea town | 2,792 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Benton town | 2,745 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Windsor town | 2,666 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Readfield town | 2,628 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Hallowell city | 2,570 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Manchester town | 2,464 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Albion town | 2,358 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Mount Vernon town | 1,728 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Randolph town | 1,479 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Fayette town | 1,343 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Wayne town | 1,096 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Rome town | 1,091 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Vienna town | 562 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
| Unity UT | 30 | $1,082 | $1,090 | $1,416 | $1,819 | $2,158 |
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,220 in 04344 (Farmingdale) and $2,020 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 | $1,510 | +6.6% |
| 04265 | North Monmouth | $1,750 | +23.6% |
| 04284 | Wayne | $1,690 | +19.4% |
| 04330 | Augusta | $1,380 | -2.5% |
| 04332 | Augusta | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04333 | Augusta | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04336 | Augusta | $1,416County rate | — |
| 04338 | Augusta | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04343 | East Winthrop | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04344 | Farmingdale | $1,220 | -13.8% |
| 04345 | Gardiner | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04346 | Randolph | $1,500 | +5.9% |
| 04347 | Hallowell | $1,330 | -6.1% |
| 04349 | Kents Hill | $2,020 | +42.7% |
| 04350 | Litchfield | $1,470 | +3.8% |
| 04351 | Manchester | $1,440 | +1.7% |
| 04352 | Mount Vernon | $1,310 | -7.5% |
| 04355 | Readfield | $1,470 | +3.8% |
| 04358 | South China | $1,450 | +2.4% |
| 04359 | South Gardiner | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04360 | Vienna | $1,390 | -1.8% |
| 04363 | Windsor | $1,530 | +8.1% |
| 04364 | Winthrop | $1,510 | +6.6% |
| 04901 | Waterville | $1,410 | -0.4% |
| 04903 | Waterville | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04910 | Albion | $1,790 | +26.4% |
| 04917 | Belgrade | $1,220 | -13.8% |
| 04918 | Belgrade Lakes | $1,220 | -13.8% |
| 04926 | China Village | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04927 | Clinton | $1,550 | +9.5% |
| 04935 | East Vassalboro | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04962 | North Vassalboro | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04963 | Oakland | $1,420 | +0.3% |
| 04989 | Vassalboro | $1,500 | +5.9% |
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 $1,274 and $1,558. 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.
$1,416 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $56,640 a year. Put another way, $27 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% ($1,274) | HAP at 100% ($1,416) | HAP at 110% ($1,558) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $524 | $666 | $808 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $74 | $216 | $358 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 22% from FY 2025 ($1,160) to FY 2026 ($1,416). Since FY 2020 it's up 77% in total, about 10.0% 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 | $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 2027 | $1,043 | $1,050 | $1,374 | $1,767 | $2,167 | -3.0% |
Nearby counties
Androscoggin County
$1,58627 mi · pop 112,323
Lincoln County
$1,40331 mi · pop 35,840
Sagadahoc County
$1,57732 mi · pop 37,093
Waldo County
$1,43834 mi · pop 40,006
Franklin County
$1,32235 mi · pop 30,145
Somerset County
$1,26638 mi · pop 50,852
Knox County
$1,52640 mi · pop 40,860
Oxford County
$1,29544 mi · pop 58,728
Questions people ask
$1,416 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,082 for a studio, $1,090 for one bedroom, $1,819 for three and $2,158 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 Kennebec actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Kennebec for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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