HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Howard County, Maryland (FY 2027)
HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Howard County is $2,006 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
Two-bedroom FMR
$2,006
+8.0% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,805–$2,207
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$80,240
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Maryland
9th 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 | $1,523 | $1,371–$1,675 | $60,920 | $29.29/hr | +11.8% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,625 | $1,463–$1,788 | $65,000 | $31.25/hr | +7.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $2,006 | $1,805–$2,207 | $80,240 | $38.58/hr | +8.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,509 | $2,258–$2,760 | $100,360 | $48.25/hr | +6.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,789 | $2,510–$3,068 | $111,560 | $53.63/hr | +6.8% |
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 | $3,207 | $2,886–$3,528 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,626 | $3,263–$3,989 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $4,044 | $3,640–$4,448 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,462 | $4,016–$4,908 |
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 Howard actually rent for?
Search any address in Howard 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 Howard somewhere between $1,805 and $2,207. 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.
$2,006 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $80,240 a year. Put another way, $39 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%$1,805 | Voucher pays at 100%$2,006 | Voucher pays at 110%$2,207 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $1,055 | $1,256 | $1,457 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $605 | $806 | $1,007 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 8% from FY 2026 ($1,857) to FY 2027 ($2,006). Since FY 2020 it's up 46% in total, about 5.5% 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 | $897 | $1,105 | $1,376 | $1,781 | $2,037 | — |
| FY 2021 | $917 | $1,115 | $1,384 | $1,793 | $2,053 | +0.6% |
| FY 2022 | $953 | $1,124 | $1,395 | $1,809 | $2,075 | +0.8% |
| FY 2023 | $1,082 | $1,254 | $1,548 | $2,009 | $2,298 | +11.0% |
| FY 2024 | $1,379 | $1,582 | $1,943 | $2,519 | $2,849 | +25.5% |
| FY 2025 | $1,407 | $1,604 | $1,965 | $2,529 | $2,826 | +1.1% |
| FY 2026 | $1,362 | $1,511 | $1,857 | $2,358 | $2,611 | -5.5% |
| FY 2027In effect | $1,523 | $1,625 | $2,006 | $2,509 | $2,789 | +8.0% |
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 Howard, that runs from $1,523 for a studio up to $2,789 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
This is a metro rate. The county doesn't get one of its own. HUD lumps Howard in with 6 other counties in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson metro, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore city among them, and every one of them gets $2,006 for a two-bedroom. Where you are inside the metro doesn't change the county number. It does change the ZIP number, covered below.
Among Maryland's 24 counties, Howard ranks 9th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 7% above the state median of $1,875 and about 89% above the national median county at $1,063. About 336,328 people live here, 6th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $2,120 in 21723 (Cooksville) and $2,730 in 21044 (Columbia), with the 22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20588 | Dhs | $2,150 | +7.2% |
| 20701 | Annapolis Junction | $2,710 | +35.1% |
| 20723 | Laurel | $2,510 | +25.1% |
| 20759 | Fulton | $2,570 | +28.1% |
| 20763 | Savage | $2,530 | +26.1% |
| 20777 | Highland | $2,540 | +26.6% |
| 20794 | Jessup | $2,520 | +25.6% |
| 21029 | Clarksville | $2,660 | +32.6% |
| 21036 | Dayton | $2,600 | +29.6% |
| 21041 | Ellicott City | $2,540 | +26.6% |
| 21042 | Ellicott City | $2,640 | +31.6% |
| 21043 | Ellicott City | $2,480 | +23.6% |
| 21044 | Columbia | $2,730 | +36.1% |
| 21045 | Columbia | $2,240 | +11.7% |
| 21046 | Columbia | $2,640 | +31.6% |
| 21075 | Elkridge | $2,610 | +30.1% |
| 21150 | Simpsonville | $2,540 | +26.6% |
| 21723 | Cooksville | $2,120 | +5.7% |
| 21737 | Glenelg | $2,540 | +26.6% |
| 21738 | Glenwood | $2,540 | +26.6% |
| 21765 | Lisbon | $2,540 | +26.6% |
| 21794 | West Friendship | $2,540 | +26.6% |
Counties sharing the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson metro rate
HUD sets one rate for the whole metro, so every county here carries the same $2,006 two-bedroom figure as Howard.
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Howard.
Montgomery County
14 mi · 1,065,949 people
$2,438
+22%
Baltimore city
17 mi · 573,243 people
$2,006
same rate
Anne Arundel County
21 mi · 598,166 people
$2,006
same rate
Prince George's County
21 mi · 959,754 people
$2,438
+22%
Baltimore County
22 mi · 850,796 people
$2,006
same rate
Carroll County
25 mi · 175,321 people
$2,006
same rate
Frederick County
32 mi · 287,048 people
$2,438
+22%
Harford County
40 mi · 263,757 people
$2,006
same rate
Questions people ask
$2,006 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $1,523 for a studio, $1,625 for one bedroom, $2,509 for three and $2,789 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 Howard actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Howard for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. Free to start, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.