HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Houghton County, Michigan (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Houghton County is $973 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$973
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$876 to $1,070
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$38,920
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Michigan
68th of 83
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Houghton moves to $1,033. 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 Houghton actually rent for?
Search any address in Houghton 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 | $795 | $716 to $875 | $31,800 | $15.29/hr | +2.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $800 | $720 to $880 | $32,000 | $15.38/hr | +2.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $973 | $876 to $1,070 | $38,920 | $18.71/hr | +4.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,353 | $1,218 to $1,488 | $54,120 | $26.02/hr | +3.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,632 | $1,469 to $1,795 | $65,280 | $31.38/hr | +4.1% |
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 | $1,877 | $1,689 to $2,065 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,122 | $1,910 to $2,334 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,366 | $2,129 to $2,603 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,611 | $2,350 to $2,872 |
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 Houghton, that runs from $795 for a studio up to $1,632 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Houghton 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, Atlantic Mine included.
Among Michigan's 83 counties, Houghton ranks 68th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 6% below the state median of $1,033 and about 4% below the national median county at $1,018. About 37,414 people live here, 42nd 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 49913 (Calumet) and $1,460 in 49921 (Dodgeville), with the 17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49905 | Atlantic Mine | $1,140 | +17.2% |
| 49913 | Calumet | $970 | -0.3% |
| 49916 | Chassell | $1,000 | +2.8% |
| 49917 | Copper City | $1,020 | +4.8% |
| 49921 | Dodgeville | $1,460 | +50.1% |
| 49922 | Dollar Bay | $980 | +0.7% |
| 49930 | Hancock | $970 | -0.3% |
| 49931 | Houghton | $1,120 | +15.1% |
| 49934 | Hubbell | $970 | -0.3% |
| 49942 | Kearsarge | $970 | -0.3% |
| 49945 | Lake Linden | $970 | -0.3% |
| 49952 | Nisula | $970 | -0.3% |
| 49955 | Painesdale | $1,020 | +4.8% |
| 49958 | Pelkie | $1,000 | +2.8% |
| 49961 | Sidnaw | $970 | -0.3% |
| 49963 | South Range | $970 | -0.3% |
| 49965 | Toivola | $970 | -0.3% |
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 Houghton somewhere between $876 and $1,070. 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.
$973 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $38,920 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% ($876) | HAP at 100% ($973) | HAP at 110% ($1,070) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $126 | $223 | $320 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($933) to FY 2026 ($973). Since FY 2020 it's up 36% in total, about 5.3% 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 | $471 | $555 | $713 | $921 | $1,252 | — |
| FY 2021 | $484 | $582 | $734 | $993 | $1,271 | +2.9% |
| FY 2022 | $503 | $612 | $757 | $1,075 | $1,296 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $573 | $680 | $826 | $1,174 | $1,407 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $710 | $758 | $905 | $1,275 | $1,536 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $776 | $780 | $933 | $1,307 | $1,567 | +3.1% |
| FY 2026 | $795 | $800 | $973 | $1,353 | $1,632 | +4.3% |
| FY 2027 | $801 | $806 | $1,033 | $1,430 | $1,727 | +6.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$973 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $795 for a studio, $800 for one bedroom, $1,353 for three and $1,632 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 Houghton actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Houghton for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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