HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Washington County, Maryland (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Washington County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,261 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Washington keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,261
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,135 to $1,387
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$50,440
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Maryland
18th of 24
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Washington moves to $1,284. That's up 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Washington actually rent for?
Search any address in Washington 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 | $869 | $782 to $956 | $34,760 | $16.71/hr | +2.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $961 | $865 to $1,057 | $38,440 | $18.48/hr | +1.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,261 | $1,135 to $1,387 | $50,440 | $24.25/hr | +1.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,700 | $1,530 to $1,870 | $68,000 | $32.69/hr | -0.6% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,901 | $1,711 to $2,091 | $76,040 | $36.56/hr | -0.1% |
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 | $2,186 | $1,967 to $2,405 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,471 | $2,224 to $2,718 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,756 | $2,480 to $3,032 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,042 | $2,738 to $3,346 |
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 Washington, that runs from $869 for a studio up to $1,901 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Washington is its own HUD metro area (Hagerstown, MD), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among Maryland's 24 counties, Washington ranks 18th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 32% below the state median of $1,845 and about 24% above the national median county at $1,018. About 154,645 people live here, 11th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,120 in 21722 (Clear Spring) and $1,920 in 21715 (Brownsville), with the 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21711 | Big Pool | $1,160 | -8.0% |
| 21713 | Boonsboro | $1,500 | +19.0% |
| 21715 | Brownsville | $1,920 | +52.3% |
| 21719 | Cascade | $1,320 | +4.7% |
| 21720 | Cavetown | $1,260 | -0.1% |
| 21721 | Chewsville | $1,261County rate | — |
| 21722 | Clear Spring | $1,120 | -11.2% |
| 21733 | Fairplay | $1,380 | +9.4% |
| 21734 | Funkstown | $1,120 | -11.2% |
| 21740 | Hagerstown | $1,240 | -1.7% |
| 21741 | Hagerstown | $1,261County rate | — |
| 21742 | Hagerstown | $1,440 | +14.2% |
| 21746 | Hagerstown | $1,240 | -1.7% |
| 21747 | Hagerstown | $1,261County rate | — |
| 21749 | Hagerstown | $1,261County rate | — |
| 21750 | Hancock | $1,150 | -8.8% |
| 21756 | Keedysville | $1,600 | +26.9% |
| 21767 | Maugansville | $1,120 | -11.2% |
| 21779 | Rohrersville | $1,660 | +31.6% |
| 21781 | Saint James | $1,240 | -1.7% |
| 21782 | Sharpsburg | $1,310 | +3.9% |
| 21783 | Smithsburg | $1,300 | +3.1% |
| 21795 | Williamsport | $1,270 | +0.7% |
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 Washington somewhere between $1,135 and $1,387. 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.
$1,261 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $50,440 a year. Put another way, $24 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% ($1,135) | HAP at 100% ($1,261) | HAP at 110% ($1,387) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $385 | $511 | $637 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $61 | $187 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 2% from FY 2025 ($1,242) to FY 2026 ($1,261). Since FY 2020 it's up 45% in total, about 6.4% 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 | $568 | $676 | $871 | $1,238 | $1,529 | — |
| FY 2021 | $577 | $683 | $874 | $1,251 | $1,513 | +0.3% |
| FY 2022 | $646 | $757 | $972 | $1,381 | $1,637 | +11.2% |
| FY 2023 | $709 | $818 | $1,060 | $1,506 | $1,678 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $830 | $932 | $1,225 | $1,713 | $1,889 | +15.6% |
| FY 2025 | $852 | $947 | $1,242 | $1,711 | $1,902 | +1.4% |
| FY 2026 | $869 | $961 | $1,261 | $1,700 | $1,901 | +1.5% |
| FY 2027 | $894 | $982 | $1,284 | $1,714 | $1,923 | +1.8% |
Nearby counties
Frederick County
$2,24621 mi · pop 273,829
Carroll County
$1,85739 mi · pop 173,225
Montgomery County
$2,24648 mi · pop 1,056,910
Howard County
$1,85752 mi · pop 332,011
Allegany County
$97358 mi · pop 68,161
Baltimore County
$1,85761 mi · pop 850,737
Baltimore city
$1,85763 mi · pop 584,548
Prince George's County
$2,24666 mi · pop 957,189
Questions people ask
$1,261 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $869 for a studio, $961 for one bedroom, $1,700 for three and $1,901 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 Washington actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Washington for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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