HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Clare County, Michigan (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Clare County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $986 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Clare keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$986
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$887 to $1,085
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$39,440
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Michigan
55th of 83
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Clare moves to $1,042. That's up 6%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Clare actually rent for?
Search any address in Clare 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 | $698 | $628 to $768 | $27,920 | $13.42/hr | +6.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $751 | $676 to $826 | $30,040 | $14.44/hr | +5.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $986 | $887 to $1,085 | $39,440 | $18.96/hr | +5.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,189 | $1,070 to $1,308 | $47,560 | $22.87/hr | +3.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,611 | $1,450 to $1,772 | $64,440 | $30.98/hr | +2.8% |
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 | $1,853 | $1,668 to $2,038 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,094 | $1,885 to $2,303 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,336 | $2,102 to $2,570 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,578 | $2,320 to $2,836 |
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 Clare, that runs from $698 for a studio up to $1,611 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Clare 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, Clare included.
Among Michigan's 83 counties, Clare ranks 55th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 5% below the state median of $1,033 and about 3% below the national median county at $1,018. About 30,998 people live here, 48th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $970 in 48625 (Harrison) and $1,040 in 48617 (Clare), with the 5 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.
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 Clare somewhere between $887 and $1,085. 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.
$986 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,440 a year. Put another way, $19 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% ($887) | HAP at 100% ($986) | HAP at 110% ($1,085) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $137 | $236 | $335 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 6% from FY 2025 ($933) to FY 2026 ($986). Since FY 2020 it's up 38% in total, about 5.6% a year. The Michigan median moved up 7% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $495 | $541 | $713 | $958 | $993 | — |
| FY 2021 | $503 | $557 | $734 | $990 | $1,071 | +2.9% |
| FY 2022 | $524 | $575 | $757 | $1,016 | $1,163 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $571 | $628 | $826 | $1,084 | $1,371 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $633 | $689 | $905 | $1,170 | $1,516 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $654 | $711 | $933 | $1,154 | $1,567 | +3.1% |
| FY 2026 | $698 | $751 | $986 | $1,189 | $1,611 | +5.7% |
| FY 2027 | $743 | $797 | $1,042 | $1,242 | $1,464 | +5.7% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$986 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $698 for a studio, $751 for one bedroom, $1,189 for three and $1,611 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 Clare actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Clare for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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