HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Custer County, Montana (FY 2026)
$1,608 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Custer County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Custer is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,608
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,447 to $1,769
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$64,320
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
6th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Custer moves to $1,612. 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 Custer actually rent for?
Search any address in Custer 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 | $1,109 | $998 to $1,220 | $44,360 | $21.33/hr | +3.8% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,226 | $1,103 to $1,349 | $49,040 | $23.58/hr | +3.2% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,608 | $1,447 to $1,769 | $64,320 | $30.92/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,154 | $1,939 to $2,369 | $86,160 | $41.42/hr | +0.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,322 | $2,090 to $2,554 | $92,880 | $44.65/hr | +8.1% |
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 | $2,670 | $2,403 to $2,937 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,019 | $2,717 to $3,321 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,367 | $3,030 to $3,704 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,715 | $3,344 to $4,087 |
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 Custer, that runs from $1,109 for a studio up to $2,322 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Custer 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, Miles City included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Custer ranks 6th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 23% above the state median of $1,307 and about 58% above the national median county at $1,018. About 11,957 people live here, 17th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,450 in 59336 (Ismay) and $1,610 in 59301 (Miles City), with the 4 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 Custer somewhere between $1,447 and $1,769. 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.
$1,608 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $64,320 a year. Put another way, $31 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% ($1,447) | HAP at 100% ($1,608) | HAP at 110% ($1,769) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $697 | $858 | $1,019 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $247 | $408 | $569 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,558) to FY 2026 ($1,608). Since FY 2020 it's up 102% in total, about 12.4% 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 | $549 | $614 | $796 | $1,137 | $1,164 | — |
| FY 2021 | $601 | $651 | $858 | $1,228 | $1,244 | +7.8% |
| FY 2022 | $595 | $646 | $842 | $1,196 | $1,247 | -1.9% |
| FY 2023 | $702 | $739 | $973 | $1,371 | $1,376 | +15.6% |
| FY 2024 | $708 | $795 | $1,044 | $1,453 | $1,458 | +7.3% |
| FY 2025 | $1,068 | $1,188 | $1,558 | $2,140 | $2,148 | +49.2% |
| FY 2026 | $1,109 | $1,226 | $1,608 | $2,154 | $2,322 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,160 | $1,232 | $1,612 | $2,195 | $2,471 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,608 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,109 for a studio, $1,226 for one bedroom, $2,154 for three and $2,322 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 Custer actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Custer for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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