HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Mecosta County, Michigan (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Mecosta County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,010 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Mecosta keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,010
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$909 to $1,111
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$40,400
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Michigan
49th of 83
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Mecosta moves to $1,063. 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 Mecosta actually rent for?
Search any address in Mecosta 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 | $715 | $644 to $787 | $28,600 | $13.75/hr | +6.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $796 | $716 to $876 | $31,840 | $15.31/hr | +3.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,010 | $909 to $1,111 | $40,400 | $19.42/hr | +5.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,288 | $1,159 to $1,417 | $51,520 | $24.77/hr | +5.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,432 | $1,289 to $1,575 | $57,280 | $27.54/hr | +5.3% |
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 | $1,647 | $1,482 to $1,812 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,862 | $1,676 to $2,048 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,076 | $1,868 to $2,284 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,291 | $2,062 to $2,520 |
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 Mecosta, that runs from $715 for a studio up to $1,432 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Mecosta 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, Barryton included.
Among Michigan's 83 counties, Mecosta ranks 49th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 2% below the state median of $1,033 and within a couple percent of the national median county at $1,018. About 40,128 people live here, 41st 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 49305 (Barryton) and $1,120 in 49338 (Paris), with the 9 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 Mecosta somewhere between $909 and $1,111. 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.
$1,010 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $40,400 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% ($909) | HAP at 100% ($1,010) | HAP at 110% ($1,111) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $159 | $260 | $361 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 6% from FY 2025 ($956) to FY 2026 ($1,010). 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 | $609 | $612 | $713 | $915 | $966 | — |
| FY 2021 | $613 | $617 | $734 | $932 | $1,001 | +2.9% |
| FY 2022 | $552 | $646 | $766 | $974 | $1,136 | +4.4% |
| FY 2023 | $571 | $707 | $826 | $1,050 | $1,320 | +7.8% |
| FY 2024 | $656 | $799 | $939 | $1,199 | $1,331 | +13.7% |
| FY 2025 | $670 | $771 | $956 | $1,225 | $1,360 | +1.8% |
| FY 2026 | $715 | $796 | $1,010 | $1,288 | $1,432 | +5.6% |
| FY 2027 | $758 | $863 | $1,063 | $1,323 | $1,644 | +5.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,010 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $715 for a studio, $796 for one bedroom, $1,288 for three and $1,432 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 Mecosta actually go for?
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