HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Isabella County, Michigan (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Isabella County is $1,013 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,013
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$912 to $1,114
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$40,520
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Michigan
48th of 83
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Isabella moves to $1,059. That's up 5%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Isabella actually rent for?
Search any address in Isabella 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 | $875 | $788 to $963 | $35,000 | $16.83/hr | +5.8% |
| 1 bedroom | $880 | $792 to $968 | $35,200 | $16.92/hr | +5.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,013 | $912 to $1,114 | $40,520 | $19.48/hr | +6.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,321 | $1,189 to $1,453 | $52,840 | $25.40/hr | +5.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,341 | $1,207 to $1,475 | $53,640 | $25.79/hr | +6.3% |
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 | $1,542 | $1,388 to $1,696 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,743 | $1,569 to $1,917 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,944 | $1,750 to $2,138 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,146 | $1,931 to $2,361 |
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 Isabella, that runs from $875 for a studio up to $1,341 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Isabella 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, Mount Pleasant included.
Among Michigan's 83 counties, Isabella ranks 48th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,033 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 64,938 people live here, 31st 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 48878 (Rosebush) and $1,210 in 48893 (Weidman), with the 8 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 Isabella somewhere between $912 and $1,114. 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.
$1,013 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $40,520 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% ($912) | HAP at 100% ($1,013) | HAP at 110% ($1,114) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $162 | $263 | $364 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($951) to FY 2026 ($1,013). Since FY 2020 it's up 41% in total, about 5.9% 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 | $551 | $591 | $720 | $979 | $1,096 | — |
| FY 2021 | $591 | $653 | $787 | $1,048 | $1,089 | +9.3% |
| FY 2022 | $611 | $680 | $810 | $1,057 | $1,098 | +2.9% |
| FY 2023 | $674 | $706 | $828 | $1,084 | $1,112 | +2.2% |
| FY 2024 | $810 | $815 | $941 | $1,245 | $1,253 | +13.6% |
| FY 2025 | $827 | $838 | $951 | $1,256 | $1,261 | +1.1% |
| FY 2026 | $875 | $880 | $1,013 | $1,321 | $1,341 | +6.5% |
| FY 2027 | $883 | $888 | $1,059 | $1,385 | $1,428 | +4.5% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,013 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $875 for a studio, $880 for one bedroom, $1,321 for three and $1,341 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 Isabella actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Isabella for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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