HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Dorchester County, Maryland (FY 2027)
A two-bedroom in Dorchester County carries a FY 2027 Fair Market Rent of $1,159 a month, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Everything Section 8 pays in Dorchester keys off that figure.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,159
+1.3% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,043–$1,275
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$46,360
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Maryland
21st of 24
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 | $868 | $781–$955 | $34,720 | $16.69/hr | -8.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $970 | $873–$1,067 | $38,800 | $18.65/hr | +1.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,159 | $1,043–$1,275 | $46,360 | $22.29/hr | +1.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,605 | $1,445–$1,766 | $64,200 | $30.87/hr | +0.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,937 | $1,743–$2,131 | $77,480 | $37.25/hr | +0.9% |
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 | $2,228 | $2,005–$2,451 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,518 | $2,266–$2,770 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,809 | $2,528–$3,090 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,099 | $2,789–$3,409 |
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 Dorchester actually rent for?
Search any address in Dorchester 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 Dorchester somewhere between $1,043 and $1,275. 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.
$1,159 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $46,360 a year. Put another way, $22 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%$1,043 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,159 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,275 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $293 | $409 | $525 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $75 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 1% from FY 2026 ($1,144) to FY 2027 ($1,159). Since FY 2020 it's up 26% in total, about 3.4% a year. The Maryland median moved up 2% over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $783 | $784 | $917 | $1,268 | $1,393 | — |
| FY 2021 | $748 | $753 | $902 | $1,240 | $1,367 | -1.6% |
| FY 2022 | $726 | $731 | $894 | $1,255 | $1,485 | -0.9% |
| FY 2023 | $784 | $789 | $991 | $1,408 | $1,688 | +10.9% |
| FY 2024 | $890 | $896 | $1,121 | $1,580 | $1,902 | +13.1% |
| FY 2025 | $917 | $923 | $1,154 | $1,617 | $1,938 | +2.9% |
| FY 2026 | $947 | $952 | $1,144 | $1,591 | $1,919 | -0.9% |
| FY 2027In effect | $868 | $970 | $1,159 | $1,605 | $1,937 | +1.3% |
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 Dorchester, that runs from $868 for a studio up to $1,937 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Dorchester 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, Cambridge included.
Among Maryland's 24 counties, Dorchester ranks 21st for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 38% below the state median of $1,875 and about 9% above the national median county at $1,063. About 32,754 people live here, 21st in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,150 in 21613 (Cambridge) and $1,740 in 21631 (East New Market), with the 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21613 | Cambridge | $1,150 | -0.8% |
| 21622 | Church Creek | $1,160 | +0.1% |
| 21626 | Crapo | $1,160 | +0.1% |
| 21627 | Crocheron | $1,160 | +0.1% |
| 21631 | East New Market | $1,740 | +50.1% |
| 21634 | Fishing Creek | $1,160 | +0.1% |
| 21643 | Hurlock | $1,190 | +2.7% |
| 21648 | Madison | $1,350 | +16.5% |
| 21659 | Rhodesdale | $1,470 | +26.8% |
| 21664 | Secretary | $1,290 | +11.3% |
| 21669 | Taylors Island | $1,160 | +0.1% |
| 21672 | Toddville | $1,160 | +0.1% |
| 21675 | Wingate | $1,160 | +0.1% |
| 21677 | Woolford | $1,520 | +31.1% |
| 21835 | Linkwood | $1,520 | +31.1% |
| 21869 | Vienna | $1,740 | +50.1% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Dorchester.
Talbot County
23 mi · 37,917 people
$1,421
+23%
Wicomico County
23 mi · 104,914 people
$1,428
+23%
Calvert County
27 mi · 94,313 people
$1,890
+63%
Somerset County
30 mi · 24,822 people
$1,144
-1%
St. Mary's County
32 mi · 115,126 people
$1,787
+54%
Caroline County
34 mi · 33,669 people
$1,320
+14%
Queen Anne's County
41 mi · 51,825 people
$2,006
+73%
Worcester County
42 mi · 53,700 people
$1,184
+2%
Questions people ask
$1,159 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $868 for a studio, $970 for one bedroom, $1,605 for three and $1,937 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 Dorchester actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Dorchester for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
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