HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Freeborn County, Minnesota (FY 2026)
$974 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Freeborn County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Freeborn is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$974
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$877 to $1,071
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$38,960
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Minnesota
49th of 87
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Freeborn 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 Freeborn actually rent for?
Search any address in Freeborn 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 | $672 | $605 to $739 | $26,880 | $12.92/hr | +5.0% |
| 1 bedroom | $742 | $668 to $816 | $29,680 | $14.27/hr | +4.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $974 | $877 to $1,071 | $38,960 | $18.73/hr | +4.4% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,283 | $1,155 to $1,411 | $51,320 | $24.67/hr | +6.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,432 | $1,289 to $1,575 | $57,280 | $27.54/hr | +5.8% |
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 Freeborn, that runs from $672 for a studio up to $1,432 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Freeborn 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, Albert Lea included.
Among Minnesota's 87 counties, Freeborn ranks 49th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 3% below the state median of $999 and about 4% below the national median county at $1,018. About 30,857 people live here, 35th 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 56007 (Albert Lea) and $1,320 in 56032 (Freeborn), with the 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56007 | Albert Lea | $970 | -0.4% |
| 56009 | Alden | $1,190 | +22.2% |
| 56016 | Clarks Grove | $1,050 | +7.8% |
| 56020 | Conger | $1,190 | +22.2% |
| 56029 | Emmons | $970 | -0.4% |
| 56032 | Freeborn | $1,320 | +35.5% |
| 56035 | Geneva | $970 | -0.4% |
| 56036 | Glenville | $1,030 | +5.7% |
| 56042 | Hartland | $970 | -0.4% |
| 56043 | Hayward | $980 | +0.6% |
| 56045 | Hollandale | $970 | -0.4% |
| 56089 | Twin Lakes | $970 | -0.4% |
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 Freeborn somewhere between $877 and $1,071. 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.
$974 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $38,960 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% ($877) | HAP at 100% ($974) | HAP at 110% ($1,071) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $127 | $224 | $321 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($933) to FY 2026 ($974). Since FY 2020 it's up 32% in total, about 4.8% 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 | $480 | $560 | $737 | $931 | $1,143 | — |
| FY 2021 | $484 | $557 | $734 | $913 | $1,124 | -0.4% |
| FY 2022 | $528 | $603 | $794 | $985 | $1,190 | +8.2% |
| FY 2023 | $584 | $664 | $874 | $1,087 | $1,278 | +10.1% |
| FY 2024 | $659 | $740 | $972 | $1,239 | $1,402 | +11.2% |
| FY 2025 | $640 | $711 | $933 | $1,200 | $1,354 | -4.0% |
| FY 2026 | $672 | $742 | $974 | $1,283 | $1,432 | +4.4% |
| FY 2027 | $719 | $790 | $1,033 | $1,355 | $1,555 | +6.1% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$974 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $672 for a studio, $742 for one bedroom, $1,283 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 Freeborn actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Freeborn for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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