HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Covington County, Mississippi (FY 2026)
$842 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Covington County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Covington is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$842
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$758 to $926
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$33,680
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Mississippi
53rd of 82
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Covington moves to $905. That's up 7%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Covington actually rent for?
Search any address in Covington 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 | $708 | $637 to $779 | $28,320 | $13.62/hr | +7.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $713 | $642 to $784 | $28,520 | $13.71/hr | -8.9% |
| 2 bedroom | $842 | $758 to $926 | $33,680 | $16.19/hr | -9.8% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,111 | $1,000 to $1,222 | $44,440 | $21.37/hr | -9.8% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,115 | $1,004 to $1,227 | $44,600 | $21.44/hr | -9.9% |
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 | $1,282 | $1,154 to $1,410 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,450 | $1,305 to $1,595 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $1,617 | $1,455 to $1,779 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $1,784 | $1,606 to $1,962 |
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 Covington, that runs from $708 for a studio up to $1,115 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Covington 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, Mount Olive included.
Among Mississippi's 82 counties, Covington ranks 53rd for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $842 and about 17% below the national median county at $1,018. About 18,323 people live here, 50th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $840 in 39119 (Mount Olive) and $950 in 39428 (Collins), 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 Covington somewhere between $758 and $926. 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.
$842 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $33,680 a year. Put another way, $16 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% ($758) | HAP at 100% ($842) | HAP at 110% ($926) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $8 | $92 | $176 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went down 10% from FY 2025 ($933) to FY 2026 ($842). Since FY 2020 it's up 24% in total, about 3.6% a year. The Mississippi median moved down 10% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $510 | $517 | $681 | $849 | $948 | — |
| FY 2021 | $547 | $548 | $699 | $890 | $966 | +2.6% |
| FY 2022 | $493 | $619 | $705 | $1,001 | $1,037 | +0.9% |
| FY 2023 | $520 | $637 | $766 | $1,089 | $1,093 | +8.7% |
| FY 2024 | $614 | $749 | $903 | $1,210 | $1,215 | +17.9% |
| FY 2025 | $656 | $783 | $933 | $1,232 | $1,237 | +3.3% |
| FY 2026 | $708 | $713 | $842 | $1,111 | $1,115 | -9.8% |
| FY 2027 | $761 | $769 | $905 | $1,078 | $1,189 | +7.5% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$842 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $708 for a studio, $713 for one bedroom, $1,111 for three and $1,115 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 Covington actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Covington for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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