HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Lincoln County, Maine (FY 2026)
$1,403 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Lincoln County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Lincoln is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,403
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,263 to $1,543
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$56,120
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Maine
11th of 16
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Lincoln moves to $1,307. That's down 7%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Lincoln actually rent for?
Search any address in Lincoln 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 | $1,222 | $1,100 to $1,344 | $48,880 | $23.50/hr | +12.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,280 | $1,152 to $1,408 | $51,200 | $24.62/hr | +16.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,403 | $1,263 to $1,543 | $56,120 | $26.98/hr | +12.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,936 | $1,742 to $2,130 | $77,440 | $37.23/hr | +17.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,943 | $1,749 to $2,137 | $77,720 | $37.37/hr | +17.8% |
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 | $2,234 | $2,011 to $2,457 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,526 | $2,273 to $2,779 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,817 | $2,535 to $3,099 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,109 | $2,798 to $3,420 |
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 Lincoln, that runs from $1,222 for a studio up to $1,943 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Lincoln 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, Coopers Mills included.
Among Maine's 16 counties, Lincoln ranks 11th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,429 and about 38% above the national median county at $1,018. About 35,840 people live here, 13th in the state.
Rates by town
Maine publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 21 towns in Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waldoboro town | 5,228 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Wiscasset town | 3,812 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Boothbay town | 3,076 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Bristol town | 2,898 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Jefferson town | 2,616 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Whitefield town | 2,382 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Damariscotta town | 2,249 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Boothbay Harbor town | 2,043 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Newcastle town | 1,773 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Nobleboro town | 1,760 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Dresden town | 1,639 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Edgecomb town | 1,344 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| South Bristol town | 1,005 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Somerville town | 881 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Bremen town | 851 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Alna town | 829 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Westport Island town | 796 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Southport town | 521 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Monhegan plantation | 137 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Hibberts gore | 0 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
| Louds Island UT | 0 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 |
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,250 in 04353 (Whitefield) and $1,780 in 04578 (Wiscasset), with the 27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04341 | Coopers Mills | $1,260 | -10.2% |
| 04342 | Dresden | $1,610 | +14.8% |
| 04348 | Jefferson | $1,420 | +1.2% |
| 04353 | Whitefield | $1,250 | -10.9% |
| 04535 | Alna | $1,430 | +1.9% |
| 04537 | Boothbay | $1,330 | -5.2% |
| 04538 | Boothbay Harbor | $1,440 | +2.6% |
| 04539 | Bristol | $1,400 | -0.2% |
| 04541 | Chamberlain | $1,400 | -0.2% |
| 04543 | Damariscotta | $1,270 | -9.5% |
| 04544 | East Boothbay | $1,500 | +6.9% |
| 04549 | Isle Of Springs | $1,403County rate | — |
| 04551 | Bremen | $1,530 | +9.1% |
| 04553 | Newcastle | $1,490 | +6.2% |
| 04554 | New Harbor | $1,400 | -0.2% |
| 04555 | Nobleboro | $1,320 | -5.9% |
| 04556 | Edgecomb | $1,470 | +4.8% |
| 04558 | Pemaquid | $1,400 | -0.2% |
| 04564 | Round Pond | $1,400 | -0.2% |
| 04568 | South Bristol | $1,640 | +16.9% |
| 04570 | Squirrel Island | $1,400 | -0.2% |
| 04571 | Trevett | $1,400 | -0.2% |
| 04572 | Waldoboro | $1,270 | -9.5% |
| 04573 | Walpole | $1,400 | -0.2% |
| 04575 | West Boothbay Harbor | $1,410 | +0.5% |
| 04576 | Southport | $1,400 | -0.2% |
| 04578 | Wiscasset | $1,780 | +26.9% |
| 04852 | Monhegan | $1,400 | -0.2% |
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 Lincoln somewhere between $1,263 and $1,543. 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.
$1,403 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $56,120 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% ($1,263) | HAP at 100% ($1,403) | HAP at 110% ($1,543) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $513 | $653 | $793 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $63 | $203 | $343 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 13% from FY 2025 ($1,244) to FY 2026 ($1,403). Since FY 2020 it's up 61% in total, about 8.2% 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 | $698 | $711 | $874 | $1,089 | $1,349 | — |
| FY 2021 | $797 | $802 | $1,021 | $1,270 | $1,642 | +16.8% |
| FY 2022 | $802 | $807 | $1,062 | $1,313 | $1,738 | +4.0% |
| FY 2023 | $913 | $918 | $1,165 | $1,418 | $1,773 | +9.7% |
| FY 2024 | $942 | $978 | $1,183 | $1,575 | $1,654 | +1.5% |
| FY 2025 | $1,082 | $1,103 | $1,244 | $1,643 | $1,649 | +5.2% |
| FY 2026 | $1,222 | $1,280 | $1,403 | $1,936 | $1,943 | +12.8% |
| FY 2027 | $1,153 | $1,201 | $1,307 | $1,810 | $1,954 | -6.8% |
Nearby counties
Sagadahoc County
$1,57715 mi · pop 37,093
Knox County
$1,52623 mi · pop 40,860
Kennebec County
$1,41631 mi · pop 125,614
Androscoggin County
$1,58636 mi · pop 112,323
Cumberland County
$2,08240 mi · pop 305,940
Waldo County
$1,43841 mi · pop 40,006
Oxford County
$1,29560 mi · pop 58,728
Hancock County
$1,50162 mi · pop 56,084
Questions people ask
$1,403 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,222 for a studio, $1,280 for one bedroom, $1,936 for three and $1,943 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 Lincoln actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Lincoln for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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