HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Mason County, Michigan (FY 2026)
$1,026 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Mason County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Mason is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,026
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$923 to $1,129
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$41,040
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Michigan
44th of 83
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Mason moves to $1,085. 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 Mason actually rent for?
Search any address in Mason 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 | $726 | $653 to $799 | $29,040 | $13.96/hr | +7.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $816 | $734 to $898 | $32,640 | $15.69/hr | +8.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,026 | $923 to $1,129 | $41,040 | $19.73/hr | +6.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,366 | $1,229 to $1,503 | $54,640 | $26.27/hr | +8.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,374 | $1,237 to $1,511 | $54,960 | $26.42/hr | +5.9% |
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 | $1,580 | $1,422 to $1,738 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,786 | $1,607 to $1,965 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,992 | $1,793 to $2,191 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,198 | $1,978 to $2,418 |
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 Mason, that runs from $726 for a studio up to $1,374 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Mason 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, Custer included.
Among Michigan's 83 counties, Mason ranks 44th 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 29,178 people live here, 49th 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 49405 (Custer) and $1,280 in 49411 (Free Soil), with the 6 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 Mason somewhere between $923 and $1,129. 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.
$1,026 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $41,040 a year. Put another way, $20 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% ($923) | HAP at 100% ($1,026) | HAP at 110% ($1,129) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $173 | $276 | $379 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 7% from FY 2025 ($962) to FY 2026 ($1,026). Since FY 2020 it's up 42% in total, about 6.0% 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 | $506 | $550 | $724 | $905 | $981 | — |
| FY 2021 | $583 | $610 | $803 | $1,005 | $1,089 | +10.9% |
| FY 2022 | $576 | $588 | $774 | $973 | $1,050 | -3.6% |
| FY 2023 | $652 | $662 | $871 | $1,094 | $1,170 | +12.5% |
| FY 2024 | $675 | $740 | $965 | $1,234 | $1,285 | +10.8% |
| FY 2025 | $674 | $749 | $962 | $1,257 | $1,298 | -0.3% |
| FY 2026 | $726 | $816 | $1,026 | $1,366 | $1,374 | +6.7% |
| FY 2027 | $774 | $859 | $1,085 | $1,430 | $1,437 | +5.8% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,026 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $726 for a studio, $816 for one bedroom, $1,366 for three and $1,374 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 Mason actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Mason for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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