HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Worcester County, Maryland (FY 2026)
$1,194 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Worcester County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Worcester is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,194
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,075 to $1,313
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$47,760
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Maryland
20th of 24
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Worcester moves to $1,184. That's down 1%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Worcester actually rent for?
Search any address in Worcester 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 | $1,027 | $924 to $1,130 | $41,080 | $19.75/hr | -7.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,035 | $932 to $1,139 | $41,400 | $19.90/hr | -10.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,194 | $1,075 to $1,313 | $47,760 | $22.96/hr | -6.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,661 | $1,495 to $1,827 | $66,440 | $31.94/hr | -7.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,919 | $1,727 to $2,111 | $76,760 | $36.90/hr | -1.9% |
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 | $2,207 | $1,986 to $2,428 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,495 | $2,246 to $2,745 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,783 | $2,505 to $3,061 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,070 | $2,763 to $3,377 |
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 Worcester, that runs from $1,027 for a studio up to $1,919 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Worcester 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, Ocean City included.
Among Maryland's 24 counties, Worcester ranks 20th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 35% below the state median of $1,845 and about 17% above the national median county at $1,018. About 52,827 people live here, 17th 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 21829 (Girdletree) and $1,530 in 21841 (Newark), with the 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21811 | Berlin | $1,410 | +18.1% |
| 21813 | Bishopville | $1,260 | +5.5% |
| 21822 | Eden | $1,350 | +13.1% |
| 21829 | Girdletree | $1,150 | -3.7% |
| 21841 | Newark | $1,530 | +28.1% |
| 21842 | Ocean City | $1,210 | +1.3% |
| 21843 | Ocean City | $1,190 | -0.3% |
| 21851 | Pocomoke City | $1,150 | -3.7% |
| 21862 | Showell | $1,340 | +12.2% |
| 21863 | Snow Hill | $1,150 | -3.7% |
| 21864 | Stockton | $1,150 | -3.7% |
| 21872 | Whaleyville | $1,390 | +16.4% |
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 Worcester somewhere between $1,075 and $1,313. 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.
$1,194 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $47,760 a year. Put another way, $23 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% ($1,075) | HAP at 100% ($1,194) | HAP at 110% ($1,313) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $325 | $444 | $563 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $113 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 6% from FY 2025 ($1,276) to FY 2026 ($1,194). Since FY 2020 it's up 23% in total, about 3.5% 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 | $658 | $735 | $972 | $1,257 | $1,616 | — |
| FY 2021 | $748 | $752 | $958 | $1,361 | $1,659 | -1.4% |
| FY 2022 | $759 | $764 | $932 | $1,324 | $1,595 | -2.7% |
| FY 2023 | $828 | $833 | $976 | $1,387 | $1,662 | +4.7% |
| FY 2024 | $993 | $1,020 | $1,145 | $1,614 | $1,797 | +17.3% |
| FY 2025 | $1,109 | $1,150 | $1,276 | $1,788 | $1,956 | +11.4% |
| FY 2026 | $1,027 | $1,035 | $1,194 | $1,661 | $1,919 | -6.4% |
| FY 2027 | $990 | $995 | $1,184 | $1,639 | $1,979 | -0.8% |
Nearby counties
Wicomico County
$1,37819 mi · pop 103,815
Somerset County
$1,16731 mi · pop 24,672
Dorchester County
$1,14442 mi · pop 32,557
Caroline County
$1,31454 mi · pop 33,320
Talbot County
$1,40959 mi · pop 37,663
Queen Anne's County
$1,85768 mi · pop 50,316
Calvert County
$2,08369 mi · pop 93,244
St. Mary's County
$1,83369 mi · pop 113,814
Questions people ask
$1,194 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,027 for a studio, $1,035 for one bedroom, $1,661 for three and $1,919 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 Worcester actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Worcester for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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