HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Douglas County, Minnesota (FY 2026)
$991 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Douglas County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Douglas is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$991
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$892 to $1,090
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$39,640
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Minnesota
46th of 87
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Douglas moves to $1,027. That's up 4%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Douglas actually rent for?
Search any address in Douglas 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 | $737 | $663 to $811 | $29,480 | $14.17/hr | +5.1% |
| 1 bedroom | $772 | $695 to $849 | $30,880 | $14.85/hr | +2.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $991 | $892 to $1,090 | $39,640 | $19.06/hr | +5.5% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,378 | $1,240 to $1,516 | $55,120 | $26.50/hr | +11.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,441 | $1,297 to $1,585 | $57,640 | $27.71/hr | +15.7% |
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 | $1,657 | $1,491 to $1,823 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,873 | $1,686 to $2,060 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,089 | $1,880 to $2,298 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,306 | $2,075 to $2,537 |
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 Douglas, that runs from $737 for a studio up to $1,441 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Douglas 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, Alexandria included.
Among Minnesota's 87 counties, Douglas ranks 46th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $999 and about 3% below the national median county at $1,018. About 39,081 people live here, 27th 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 56315 (Brandon) and $1,080 in 56355 (Nelson), with the 10 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 Douglas somewhere between $892 and $1,090. 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.
$991 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $39,640 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% ($892) | HAP at 100% ($991) | HAP at 110% ($1,090) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $142 | $241 | $340 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 6% from FY 2025 ($939) to FY 2026 ($991). Since FY 2020 it's up 22% in total, about 3.4% a year. The Minnesota median moved up 7% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $527 | $614 | $809 | $1,071 | $1,162 | — |
| FY 2021 | $495 | $575 | $750 | $1,013 | $1,046 | -7.3% |
| FY 2022 | $538 | $647 | $810 | $1,094 | $1,098 | +8.0% |
| FY 2023 | $581 | $710 | $869 | $1,163 | $1,167 | +7.3% |
| FY 2024 | $672 | $789 | $962 | $1,276 | $1,281 | +10.7% |
| FY 2025 | $701 | $754 | $939 | $1,240 | $1,245 | -2.4% |
| FY 2026 | $737 | $772 | $991 | $1,378 | $1,441 | +5.5% |
| FY 2027 | $770 | $785 | $1,027 | $1,422 | $1,500 | +3.6% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$991 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $737 for a studio, $772 for one bedroom, $1,378 for three and $1,441 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 Douglas actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Douglas for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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