HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Talbot County, Maryland (FY 2026)
$1,409 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Talbot County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Talbot is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,409
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,268 to $1,550
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$56,360
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Maryland
15th of 24
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Talbot moves to $1,421. That's up 1%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Talbot actually rent for?
Search any address in Talbot 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 | $1,201 | $1,081 to $1,321 | $48,040 | $23.10/hr | -0.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,282 | $1,154 to $1,410 | $51,280 | $24.65/hr | +2.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,409 | $1,268 to $1,550 | $56,360 | $27.10/hr | +1.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,960 | $1,764 to $2,156 | $78,400 | $37.69/hr | +0.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,364 | $2,128 to $2,600 | $94,560 | $45.46/hr | +1.1% |
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 | $2,719 | $2,447 to $2,991 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,073 | $2,766 to $3,380 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,428 | $3,085 to $3,771 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,782 | $3,404 to $4,160 |
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 Talbot, that runs from $1,201 for a studio up to $2,364 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Talbot 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, Easton included.
Among Maryland's 24 counties, Talbot ranks 15th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 24% below the state median of $1,845 and about 38% above the national median county at $1,018. About 37,663 people live here, 19th 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 21663 (Saint Michaels) and $1,960 in 21662 (Royal Oak), with the 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21601 | Easton | $1,380 | -2.1% |
| 21612 | Bozman | $1,410 | +0.1% |
| 21624 | Claiborne | $1,410 | +0.1% |
| 21625 | Cordova | $1,690 | +19.9% |
| 21647 | Mcdaniel | $1,410 | +0.1% |
| 21652 | Neavitt | $1,410 | +0.1% |
| 21653 | Newcomb | $1,420 | +0.8% |
| 21654 | Oxford | $1,420 | +0.8% |
| 21662 | Royal Oak | $1,960 | +39.1% |
| 21663 | Saint Michaels | $1,260 | -10.6% |
| 21665 | Sherwood | $1,410 | +0.1% |
| 21671 | Tilghman | $1,410 | +0.1% |
| 21673 | Trappe | $1,440 | +2.2% |
| 21676 | Wittman | $1,410 | +0.1% |
| 21679 | Wye Mills | $1,800 | +27.8% |
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 Talbot somewhere between $1,268 and $1,550. 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.
$1,409 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $56,360 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% ($1,268) | HAP at 100% ($1,409) | HAP at 110% ($1,550) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $518 | $659 | $800 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $68 | $209 | $350 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 1% from FY 2025 ($1,392) to FY 2026 ($1,409). Since FY 2020 it's up 21% in total, about 3.2% a year. The Maryland median moved down 3% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $862 | $883 | $1,163 | $1,534 | $1,975 | — |
| FY 2021 | $808 | $851 | $1,076 | $1,467 | $1,863 | -7.5% |
| FY 2022 | $929 | $957 | $1,141 | $1,577 | $1,953 | +6.0% |
| FY 2023 | $1,013 | $1,063 | $1,201 | $1,707 | $2,046 | +5.3% |
| FY 2024 | $1,196 | $1,229 | $1,380 | $1,945 | $2,342 | +14.9% |
| FY 2025 | $1,210 | $1,257 | $1,392 | $1,951 | $2,338 | +0.9% |
| FY 2026 | $1,201 | $1,282 | $1,409 | $1,960 | $2,364 | +1.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,081 | $1,260 | $1,421 | $1,968 | $2,375 | +0.9% |
Nearby counties
Queen Anne's County
$1,85721 mi · pop 50,316
Caroline County
$1,31422 mi · pop 33,320
Dorchester County
$1,14423 mi · pop 32,557
Calvert County
$2,08324 mi · pop 93,244
Anne Arundel County
$1,85726 mi · pop 588,109
Kent County
$1,24637 mi · pop 19,289
Prince George's County
$2,24638 mi · pop 957,189
St. Mary's County
$1,83341 mi · pop 113,814
Questions people ask
$1,409 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,201 for a studio, $1,282 for one bedroom, $1,960 for three and $2,364 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 Talbot actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Talbot for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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