HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Pennington County, Minnesota (FY 2026)
$1,122 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Pennington County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Pennington is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,122
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,010 to $1,234
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$44,880
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Minnesota
26th of 87
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Pennington moves to $1,142. That's up 2%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Pennington actually rent for?
Search any address in Pennington 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 | $774 | $697 to $851 | $30,960 | $14.88/hr | +4.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $855 | $770 to $941 | $34,200 | $16.44/hr | +3.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,122 | $1,010 to $1,234 | $44,880 | $21.58/hr | +3.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,496 | $1,346 to $1,646 | $59,840 | $28.77/hr | +9.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,631 | $1,468 to $1,794 | $65,240 | $31.37/hr | +4.6% |
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 | $1,876 | $1,688 to $2,064 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,120 | $1,908 to $2,332 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,365 | $2,129 to $2,602 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,610 | $2,349 to $2,871 |
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 Pennington, that runs from $774 for a studio up to $1,631 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Pennington 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, Thief River Falls included.
Among Minnesota's 87 counties, Pennington ranks 26th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 12% above the state median of $999 and about 10% above the national median county at $1,018. About 13,995 people live here, 59th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,020 in 56725 (Goodridge) and $1,310 in 56754 (Saint Hilaire), with the 3 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 Pennington somewhere between $1,010 and $1,234. 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.
$1,122 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $44,880 a year. Put another way, $22 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% ($1,010) | HAP at 100% ($1,122) | HAP at 110% ($1,234) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $260 | $372 | $484 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $34 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 4% from FY 2025 ($1,080) to FY 2026 ($1,122). Since FY 2020 it's up 48% in total, about 6.7% 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 | $495 | $577 | $760 | $947 | $1,030 | — |
| FY 2021 | $484 | $557 | $734 | $913 | $1,062 | -3.4% |
| FY 2022 | $543 | $621 | $817 | $1,047 | $1,188 | +11.3% |
| FY 2023 | $629 | $714 | $940 | $1,208 | $1,368 | +15.1% |
| FY 2024 | $746 | $837 | $1,100 | $1,399 | $1,590 | +17.0% |
| FY 2025 | $741 | $823 | $1,080 | $1,371 | $1,559 | -1.8% |
| FY 2026 | $774 | $855 | $1,122 | $1,496 | $1,631 | +3.9% |
| FY 2027 | $795 | $873 | $1,142 | $1,564 | $1,668 | +1.8% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,122 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $774 for a studio, $855 for one bedroom, $1,496 for three and $1,631 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 Pennington actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Pennington for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.