HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · Effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Berkshire County, Massachusetts (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Berkshire County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,657 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Berkshire keys off that figure.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,657
+2.9% from FY 2025
Payment standard
$1,491–$1,823
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$66,280
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Massachusetts
14th of 14
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Berkshire moves to $1,726. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
FY 2026 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 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,247 | $1,122–$1,372 | $49,880 | $23.98/hr | +13.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,281 | $1,153–$1,409 | $51,240 | $24.63/hr | +2.5% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,657 | $1,491–$1,823 | $66,280 | $31.87/hr | +2.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,145 | $1,931–$2,360 | $85,800 | $41.25/hr | +6.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,685 | $2,417–$2,954 | $107,400 | $51.63/hr | +11.5% |
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 | $3,088 | $2,779–$3,397 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,491 | $3,142–$3,840 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,893 | $3,504–$4,282 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,296 | $3,866–$4,726 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Rates by town
Massachusetts publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. The 32 towns in Berkshire County don't all get the same number. Two-bedroom rates run from $1,626 to $1,709 depending on the town, so the headline figure above is a population-weighted average and the town table is the one to use.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield cityLowest | 43,559 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| North Adams cityHighest | 12,660 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Adams town | 8,106 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| Williamstown town | 7,463 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Great Barrington town | 7,184 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Dalton town | 6,304 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| Lee town | 5,751 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| Lenox town | 5,076 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| Sheffield town | 3,328 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Cheshire town | 3,234 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| Lanesborough town | 3,033 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| Becket town | 2,049 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Stockbridge town | 1,885 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| Hinsdale town | 1,825 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| Clarksburg town | 1,723 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Otis town | 1,678 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| New Marlborough town | 1,675 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Richmond town | 1,392 | $1,245 | $1,269 | $1,626 | $2,109 | $2,577 |
| Egremont town | 1,232 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| West Stockbridge town | 1,201 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Monterey town | 1,030 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Windsor town | 1,019 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Sandisfield town | 888 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Hancock town | 798 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Florida town | 774 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Savoy town | 733 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Peru town | 631 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Washington town | 533 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Tyringham town | 459 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Alford town | 389 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| New Ashford town | 244 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
| Mount Washington town | 191 | $1,250 | $1,302 | $1,709 | $2,206 | $2,867 |
Market check
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Berkshire actually rent for?
Search any address in Berkshire 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 Berkshire somewhere between $1,491 and $1,823. 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.
$1,657 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $66,280 a year. Put another way, $32 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%$1,491 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,657 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,823 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $741 | $907 | $1,073 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $291 | $457 | $623 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,610) to FY 2026 ($1,657). Since FY 2020 it's up 57% in total, about 7.8% a year. The Massachusetts median held flat over the same year.
| Fiscal year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $742 | $836 | $1,056 | $1,336 | $1,458 | — |
| FY 2021 | $792 | $907 | $1,161 | $1,458 | $1,614 | +9.9% |
| FY 2022 | $882 | $1,014 | $1,299 | $1,634 | $1,803 | +11.9% |
| FY 2023 | $940 | $1,093 | $1,405 | $1,763 | $1,962 | +8.2% |
| FY 2024 | $962 | $1,101 | $1,420 | $1,787 | $2,065 | +1.1% |
| FY 2025 | $1,104 | $1,250 | $1,610 | $2,020 | $2,408 | +13.4% |
| FY 2026In effect | $1,247 | $1,281 | $1,657 | $2,145 | $2,685 | +2.9% |
| FY 2027From Oct 1, 2026 | $1,320 | $1,333 | $1,726 | $2,299 | $2,886 | +4.2% |
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 2026 that's October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. In Berkshire, that runs from $1,247 for a studio up to $2,685 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Berkshire is its own HUD metro area (Pittsfield, MA), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among Massachusetts's 14 counties, Berkshire ranks 14th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 27% below the state median of $2,283 and about 63% above the national median county at $1,018. About 128,047 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 $1,420 in 01220 (Adams) and $2,490 in 01266 (West Stockbridge), with the 36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01029 | East Otis | $1,660 | +0.2% |
| 01201 | Pittsfield | $1,680 | +1.4% |
| 01202 | Pittsfield | $1,650 | -0.4% |
| 01203 | Pittsfield | $1,657County rate | — |
| 01220 | Adams | $1,420 | -14.3% |
| 01222 | Ashley Falls | $1,640 | -1.0% |
| 01223 | Becket | $2,240 | +35.2% |
| 01224 | Berkshire | $1,800 | +8.6% |
| 01225 | Cheshire | $1,590 | -4.0% |
| 01226 | Dalton | $1,420 | -14.3% |
| 01227 | Dalton | $1,650 | -0.4% |
| 01229 | Glendale | $1,650 | -0.4% |
| 01230 | Great Barrington | $1,830 | +10.4% |
| 01235 | Hinsdale | $1,510 | -8.9% |
| 01236 | Housatonic | $2,090 | +26.1% |
| 01237 | Lanesborough | $1,800 | +8.6% |
| 01238 | Lee | $1,970 | +18.9% |
| 01240 | Lenox | $1,630 | -1.6% |
| 01242 | Lenox Dale | $1,820 | +9.8% |
| 01244 | Mill River | $1,810 | +9.2% |
| 01245 | Monterey | $1,640 | -1.0% |
| 01247 | North Adams | $1,590 | -4.0% |
| 01252 | North Egremont | $1,640 | -1.0% |
| 01253 | Otis | $1,640 | -1.0% |
| 01254 | Richmond | $1,870 | +12.9% |
| 01255 | Sandisfield | $2,100 | +26.7% |
| 01256 | Savoy | $1,560 | -5.9% |
| 01257 | Sheffield | $1,630 | -1.6% |
| 01258 | South Egremont | $1,630 | -1.6% |
| 01259 | Southfield | $1,710 | +3.2% |
| 01260 | South Lee | $1,910 | +15.3% |
| 01262 | Stockbridge | $1,910 | +15.3% |
| 01263 | Stockbridge | $1,657County rate | — |
| 01264 | Tyringham | $1,970 | +18.9% |
| 01266 | West Stockbridge | $2,490 | +50.3% |
| 01267 | Williamstown | $2,070 | +24.9% |
| 01270 | Windsor | $1,510 | -8.9% |
| 01343 | Drury | $1,510 | -8.9% |
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Berkshire.
Hampshire County
28 mi · 156,595 people
$2,004
+21%
Franklin County
36 mi · 70,922 people
$1,866
+13%
Hampden County
36 mi · 462,853 people
$1,734
+5%
Worcester County
70 mi · 861,664 people
$1,997
+21%
Middlesex County
98 mi · 1,622,896 people
$2,825
+70%
Norfolk County
106 mi · 724,540 people
$2,937
+77%
Suffolk County
110 mi · 782,172 people
$2,941
+77%
Bristol County
115 mi · 578,436 people
$1,798
+9%
Questions people ask
$1,657 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,247 for a studio, $1,281 for one bedroom, $2,145 for three and $2,685 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 Berkshire actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Berkshire for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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