HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Big Horn County, Montana (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Big Horn County is $1,302 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,302
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,172 to $1,432
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$52,080
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
30th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Big Horn moves to $1,306. That's unchanged. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Big Horn actually rent for?
Search any address in Big Horn 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 | $976 | $878 to $1,074 | $39,040 | $18.77/hr | +5.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $992 | $893 to $1,091 | $39,680 | $19.08/hr | +3.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,302 | $1,172 to $1,432 | $52,080 | $25.04/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,657 | $1,491 to $1,823 | $66,280 | $31.87/hr | +2.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,115 | $1,904 to $2,327 | $84,600 | $40.67/hr | +13.6% |
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 | $2,432 | $2,189 to $2,675 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,750 | $2,475 to $3,025 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,067 | $2,760 to $3,374 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,384 | $3,046 to $3,722 |
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 Big Horn, that runs from $976 for a studio up to $2,115 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Big Horn 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, Busby included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Big Horn ranks 30th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,307 and about 28% above the national median county at $1,018. About 13,090 people live here, 14th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,140 in 59035 (Fort Smith) and $1,550 in 59016 (Busby), 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 Big Horn somewhere between $1,172 and $1,432. 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.
$1,302 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $52,080 a year. Put another way, $25 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% ($1,172) | HAP at 100% ($1,302) | HAP at 110% ($1,432) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $422 | $552 | $682 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $102 | $232 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,262) to FY 2026 ($1,302). Since FY 2020 it's up 50% in total, about 7.0% a year. The Montana median moved up 3% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $598 | $665 | $867 | $1,080 | $1,252 | — |
| FY 2021 | $617 | $668 | $881 | $1,096 | $1,251 | +1.6% |
| FY 2022 | $561 | $632 | $794 | $996 | $1,164 | -9.9% |
| FY 2023 | $596 | $656 | $827 | $1,081 | $1,253 | +4.2% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $708 | $905 | $1,192 | $1,356 | +9.4% |
| FY 2025 | $926 | $962 | $1,262 | $1,610 | $1,862 | +39.4% |
| FY 2026 | $976 | $992 | $1,302 | $1,657 | $2,115 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $998 | $1,007 | $1,306 | $1,795 | $2,183 | +0.3% |
Nearby counties
Yellowstone County
$1,41752 mi · pop 165,524
Treasure County
$1,54855 mi · pop 680
Rosebud County
$1,18665 mi · pop 8,310
Carbon County
$1,41775 mi · pop 10,645
Musselshell County
$1,34482 mi · pop 4,924
Stillwater County
$1,25789 mi · pop 8,978
Golden Valley County
$1,33997 mi · pop 841
Powder River County
$1,025100 mi · pop 1,773
Questions people ask
$1,302 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $976 for a studio, $992 for one bedroom, $1,657 for three and $2,115 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 Big Horn actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Big Horn for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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