HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Hampshire County, Massachusetts (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Hampshire County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $2,004 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Hampshire keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$2,004
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,804 to $2,204
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$80,160
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Massachusetts
9th of 14
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Hampshire moves to $2,034. 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 Hampshire actually rent for?
Search any address in Hampshire 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 | $1,382 | $1,244 to $1,520 | $55,280 | $26.58/hr | +32.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,580 | $1,422 to $1,738 | $63,200 | $30.38/hr | +31.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $2,004 | $1,804 to $2,204 | $80,160 | $38.54/hr | +34.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,504 | $2,254 to $2,754 | $100,160 | $48.15/hr | +37.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,702 | $2,432 to $2,972 | $108,080 | $51.96/hr | +32.6% |
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 | $3,107 | $2,796 to $3,418 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,513 | $3,162 to $3,864 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,918 | $3,526 to $4,310 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,323 | $3,891 to $4,755 |
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 Hampshire, that runs from $1,382 for a studio up to $2,702 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Hampshire is its own HUD metro area (Amherst Town-Northampton, MA), so the rate here is set from rents inside the county rather than a wider region.
Among Massachusetts's 14 counties, Hampshire ranks 9th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 12% below the state median of $2,283 and about 97% above the national median county at $1,018. About 156,595 people live here, 10th in the state.
Rates by town
Massachusetts publishes Fair Market Rents town by town instead of by county. All 20 towns in Hampshire County share the same rate for FY 2026, so the county number is the town number wherever you are.
| Town | Population | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town city | 35,472 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Northampton city | 28,640 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| South Hadley town | 17,410 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Easthampton Town city | 16,103 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Belchertown town | 15,366 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Ware town | 10,012 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Southampton town | 6,212 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Granby town | 6,088 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Hadley town | 5,299 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Hatfield town | 3,324 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Williamsburg town | 2,716 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Huntington town | 2,205 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Westhampton town | 1,514 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Pelham town | 1,332 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Worthington town | 1,061 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Goshen town | 965 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Chesterfield town | 964 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Cummington town | 916 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Plainfield town | 623 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
| Middlefield town | 373 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 |
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,350 in 01098 (Worthington) and $2,830 in 01053 (Leeds), with the 29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01002 | Amherst | $2,480 | +23.8% |
| 01003 | Amherst | $2,490 | +24.3% |
| 01004 | Amherst | $2,130 | +6.3% |
| 01007 | Belchertown | $2,120 | +5.8% |
| 01012 | Chesterfield | $1,640 | -18.2% |
| 01026 | Cummington | $1,650 | -17.7% |
| 01027 | Easthampton | $1,960 | -2.2% |
| 01032 | Goshen | $2,200 | +9.8% |
| 01033 | Granby | $2,040 | +1.8% |
| 01035 | Hadley | $2,580 | +28.7% |
| 01038 | Hatfield | $2,320 | +15.8% |
| 01039 | Haydenville | $2,520 | +25.7% |
| 01050 | Huntington | $1,930 | -3.7% |
| 01053 | Leeds | $2,830 | +41.2% |
| 01059 | North Amherst | $2,130 | +6.3% |
| 01060 | Northampton | $2,260 | +12.8% |
| 01061 | Northampton | $2,130 | +6.3% |
| 01062 | Florence | $2,020 | +0.8% |
| 01063 | Northampton | $2,260 | +12.8% |
| 01066 | North Hatfield | $2,300 | +14.8% |
| 01070 | Plainfield | $1,590 | -20.7% |
| 01073 | Southampton | $1,810 | -9.7% |
| 01075 | South Hadley | $1,880 | -6.2% |
| 01082 | Ware | $1,690 | -15.7% |
| 01084 | West Chesterfield | $1,540 | -23.2% |
| 01088 | West Hatfield | $2,340 | +16.8% |
| 01096 | Williamsburg | $2,280 | +13.8% |
| 01098 | Worthington | $1,350 | -32.6% |
| 01243 | Middlefield | $1,840 | -8.2% |
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 Hampshire somewhere between $1,804 and $2,204. 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.
$2,004 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $80,160 a year. Put another way, $39 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% ($1,804) | HAP at 100% ($2,004) | HAP at 110% ($2,204) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $1,054 | $1,254 | $1,454 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $604 | $804 | $1,004 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 34% from FY 2025 ($1,496) to FY 2026 ($2,004). Since FY 2020 it's up 80% in total, about 10.3% a year. The Massachusetts median held flat over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $737 | $875 | $1,115 | $1,389 | $1,611 | — |
| FY 2021 | $745 | $891 | $1,129 | $1,404 | $1,648 | +1.3% |
| FY 2022 | $727 | $874 | $1,094 | $1,353 | $1,623 | -3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $818 | $987 | $1,223 | $1,497 | $1,799 | +11.8% |
| FY 2024 | $934 | $1,115 | $1,375 | $1,669 | $1,954 | +12.4% |
| FY 2025 | $1,044 | $1,205 | $1,496 | $1,823 | $2,037 | +8.8% |
| FY 2026 | $1,382 | $1,580 | $2,004 | $2,504 | $2,702 | +34.0% |
| FY 2027 | $1,416 | $1,593 | $2,034 | $2,663 | $2,768 | +1.5% |
Nearby counties
Franklin County
$1,86616 mi · pop 70,922
Hampden County
$1,73416 mi · pop 462,853
Berkshire County
$1,65728 mi · pop 128,047
Worcester County
$1,99742 mi · pop 861,664
Middlesex County
$2,82571 mi · pop 1,622,896
Norfolk County
$2,93778 mi · pop 724,540
Suffolk County
$2,94183 mi · pop 782,172
Bristol County
$1,79889 mi · pop 578,436
Questions people ask
$2,004 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,382 for a studio, $1,580 for one bedroom, $2,504 for three and $2,702 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 Hampshire actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Hampshire for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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