HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Penobscot County, Maine (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Penobscot County is $1,637 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,637
+5.0% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,473–$1,801
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$65,480
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Maine
5th 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 | $1,206 | $1,085–$1,327 | $48,240 | $23.19/hr | +5.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,291 | $1,162–$1,420 | $51,640 | $24.83/hr | +6.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,637 | $1,473–$1,801 | $65,480 | $31.48/hr | +5.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,141 | $1,927–$2,355 | $85,640 | $41.17/hr | +6.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,345 | $2,111–$2,580 | $93,800 | $45.10/hr | +8.8% |
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 | $2,697 | $2,427–$2,967 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,049 | $2,744–$3,354 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,400 | $3,060–$3,740 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,752 | $3,377–$4,127 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Rates by town
Maine publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. The 67 towns in Penobscot County don't all get the same number. Two-bedroom rates run from $1,496 to $1,722 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor cityHighest | 31,938 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Orono town | 11,902 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Brewer city | 9,652 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Hampden town | 7,896 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Old Town city | 7,470 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Hermon town | 6,727 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Lincoln townLowest | 4,890 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Glenburn town | 4,737 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Millinocket town | 4,115 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Orrington town | 3,853 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Dexter town | 3,822 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Holden town | 3,352 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Newport town | 3,143 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Milford town | 3,095 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Levant town | 3,069 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Corinth town | 2,990 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Carmel town | 2,941 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Eddington town | 2,223 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Corinna town | 2,192 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Veazie town | 1,847 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Bradley town | 1,645 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| East Millinocket town | 1,495 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Newburgh town | 1,475 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Enfield town | 1,462 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Greenbush town | 1,378 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Howland town | 1,367 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Kenduskeag town | 1,333 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Plymouth town | 1,319 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Hudson town | 1,305 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Bradford town | 1,254 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Etna town | 1,252 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Dixmont town | 1,207 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Patten town | 1,154 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Stetson town | 1,151 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Charleston town | 1,117 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Clifton town | 1,111 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Exeter town | 1,093 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Medway town | 996 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Lee town | 925 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Garland town | 823 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Alton town | 819 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Lagrange town | 709 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Mattawamkeag town | 698 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Chester town | 598 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| North Penobscot UT | 518 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Penobscot Indian Island Reservation | 470 | $1,305 | $1,380 | $1,722 | $2,203 | $2,495 |
| Stacyville town | 465 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Passadumkeag town | 384 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Lowell town | 378 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Burlington town | 328 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Springfield town | 310 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| East Central Penobscot UT | 307 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Winn town | 287 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Argyle UT | 286 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Mount Chase town | 280 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Prentiss UT | 210 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Woodville town | 198 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Edinburg town | 172 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Kingman UT | 138 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Carroll plantation | 134 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Lakeville town | 99 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Webster plantation | 85 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Maxfield town | 76 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Drew UT | 33 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Seboeis plantation | 12 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Twombly UT | 0 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
| Whitney UT | 0 | $1,042 | $1,144 | $1,496 | $2,039 | $2,096 |
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Penobscot actually rent for?
Search any address in Penobscot 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 Penobscot somewhere between $1,473 and $1,801. 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.
$1,637 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $65,480 a year. Put another way, $31 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%$1,473 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,637 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,801 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $723 | $887 | $1,051 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $273 | $437 | $601 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 5% from FY 2026 ($1,559) to FY 2027 ($1,637). Since FY 2020 it's up 84% in total, about 9.1% 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 | $620 | $694 | $892 | $1,112 | $1,425 | — |
| FY 2021 | $664 | $761 | $984 | $1,223 | $1,515 | +10.3% |
| FY 2022 | $710 | $803 | $1,043 | $1,294 | $1,522 | +6.0% |
| FY 2023 | $770 | $845 | $1,096 | $1,379 | $1,537 | +5.1% |
| FY 2024 | $827 | $903 | $1,164 | $1,475 | $1,610 | +6.2% |
| FY 2025 | $961 | $1,026 | $1,323 | $1,686 | $1,827 | +13.7% |
| FY 2026 | $1,145 | $1,218 | $1,559 | $2,007 | $2,155 | +17.8% |
| FY 2027In effect | $1,206 | $1,291 | $1,637 | $2,141 | $2,345 | +5.0% |
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 Penobscot, that runs from $1,206 for a studio up to $2,345 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Penobscot is its own HUD metro area (Bangor, ME), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among Maine's 16 counties, Penobscot ranks 5th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 19% above the state median of $1,371 and about 54% above the national median county at $1,063. About 154,710 people live here, 3rd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,260 in 04417 (Burlington) and $2,350 in 04489 (Stillwater), with the 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04401 | Bangor | $1,750 | +6.9% |
| 04402 | Bangor | $1,680 | +2.6% |
| 04410 | Bradford | $1,530 | -6.5% |
| 04411 | Bradley | $1,810 | +10.6% |
| 04412 | Brewer | $1,670 | +2.0% |
| 04417 | Burlington | $1,260 | -23.0% |
| 04418 | Greenbush | $1,500 | -8.4% |
| 04419 | Carmel | $2,000 | +22.2% |
| 04422 | Charleston | $2,050 | +25.2% |
| 04427 | Corinth | $1,500 | -8.4% |
| 04428 | Eddington | $1,830 | +11.8% |
| 04429 | Holden | $1,910 | +16.7% |
| 04430 | East Millinocket | $1,260 | -23.0% |
| 04434 | Etna | $1,910 | +16.7% |
| 04435 | Exeter | $2,080 | +27.1% |
| 04444 | Hampden | $1,760 | +7.5% |
| 04448 | Howland | $1,580 | -3.5% |
| 04449 | Hudson | $2,160 | +31.9% |
| 04450 | Kenduskeag | $1,660 | +1.4% |
| 04451 | Kingman | $1,560 | -4.7% |
| 04453 | Lagrange | $1,470 | -10.2% |
| 04455 | Lee | $1,780 | +8.7% |
| 04456 | Levant | $2,090 | +27.7% |
| 04457 | Lincoln | $1,500 | -8.4% |
| 04459 | Mattawamkeag | $1,740 | +6.3% |
| 04460 | Medway | $1,500 | -8.4% |
| 04461 | Milford | $1,540 | -5.9% |
| 04462 | Millinocket | $1,280 | -21.8% |
| 04468 | Old Town | $1,760 | +7.5% |
| 04469 | Orono | $1,870 | +14.2% |
| 04473 | Orono | $1,920 | +17.3% |
| 04474 | Orrington | $1,790 | +9.3% |
| 04475 | Passadumkeag | $1,460 | -10.8% |
| 04487 | Springfield | $1,780 | +8.7% |
| 04488 | Stetson | $1,730 | +5.7% |
| 04489 | Stillwater | $2,350 | +43.6% |
| 04493 | West Enfield | $1,280 | -21.8% |
| 04495 | Winn | $1,780 | +8.7% |
| 04765 | Patten | $1,260 | -23.0% |
| 04777 | Stacyville | $1,780 | +8.7% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Penobscot.
Piscataquis County
31 mi · 17,263 people
$1,340
-18%
Waldo County
45 mi · 40,192 people
$1,367
-16%
Somerset County
48 mi · 50,959 people
$1,242
-24%
Hancock County
51 mi · 56,460 people
$1,484
-9%
Washington County
62 mi · 31,331 people
$1,230
-25%
Kennebec County
69 mi · 126,808 people
$1,374
-16%
Knox County
71 mi · 41,003 people
$1,503
-8%
Franklin County
78 mi · 30,413 people
$1,264
-23%
Questions people ask
$1,637 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $1,206 for a studio, $1,291 for one bedroom, $2,141 for three and $2,345 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 Penobscot actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Penobscot for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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