HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Chouteau County, Montana (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Chouteau County is $1,307 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,307
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,176 to $1,438
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$52,280
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
28th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Chouteau moves to $1,310. 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 Chouteau actually rent for?
Search any address in Chouteau 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 | $980 | $882 to $1,078 | $39,200 | $18.85/hr | +5.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $996 | $896 to $1,096 | $39,840 | $19.15/hr | +3.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,307 | $1,176 to $1,438 | $52,280 | $25.13/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,662 | $1,496 to $1,828 | $66,480 | $31.96/hr | +8.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,950 | $1,755 to $2,145 | $78,000 | $37.50/hr | +2.7% |
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 | $2,243 | $2,019 to $2,467 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,535 | $2,282 to $2,789 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,828 | $2,545 to $3,111 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,120 | $2,808 to $3,432 |
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 Chouteau, that runs from $980 for a studio up to $1,950 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Chouteau 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, Carter included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Chouteau ranks 28th 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 5,897 people live here, 34th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,170 in 59442 (Fort Benton) and $1,960 in 59450 (Highwood), with the 7 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 Chouteau somewhere between $1,176 and $1,438. 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.
$1,307 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $52,280 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% ($1,176) | HAP at 100% ($1,307) | HAP at 110% ($1,438) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $426 | $557 | $688 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $107 | $238 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,266) to FY 2026 ($1,307). Since FY 2020 it's up 83% in total, about 10.6% 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 | $492 | $542 | $714 | $940 | $967 | — |
| FY 2021 | $528 | $572 | $754 | $938 | $1,022 | +5.6% |
| FY 2022 | $557 | $600 | $789 | $975 | $1,070 | +4.6% |
| FY 2023 | $637 | $671 | $883 | $1,075 | $1,230 | +11.9% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $689 | $905 | $1,094 | $1,283 | +2.5% |
| FY 2025 | $929 | $965 | $1,266 | $1,536 | $1,899 | +39.9% |
| FY 2026 | $980 | $996 | $1,307 | $1,662 | $1,950 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,001 | $1,001 | $1,310 | $1,814 | $1,964 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,307 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $980 for a studio, $996 for one bedroom, $1,662 for three and $1,950 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 Chouteau actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Chouteau for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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