HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Dawson County, Montana (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Dawson County is $1,254 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,254
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,129 to $1,379
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$50,160
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
34th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Dawson moves to $1,257. 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 Dawson actually rent for?
Search any address in Dawson 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 | $940 | $846 to $1,034 | $37,600 | $18.08/hr | +5.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $956 | $860 to $1,052 | $38,240 | $18.38/hr | +2.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,254 | $1,129 to $1,379 | $50,160 | $24.12/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,504 | $1,354 to $1,654 | $60,160 | $28.92/hr | +2.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,942 | $1,748 to $2,136 | $77,680 | $37.35/hr | +6.3% |
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 | $2,233 | $2,010 to $2,456 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,525 | $2,273 to $2,778 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,816 | $2,534 to $3,098 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,107 | $2,796 to $3,418 |
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 Dawson, that runs from $940 for a studio up to $1,942 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Dawson 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, Richey included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Dawson ranks 34th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 4% below the state median of $1,307 and about 23% above the national median county at $1,018. About 8,915 people live here, 25th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,200 in 59315 (Bloomfield) and $1,560 in 59259 (Richey), 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 Dawson somewhere between $1,129 and $1,379. 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.
$1,254 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $50,160 a year. Put another way, $24 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% ($1,129) | HAP at 100% ($1,254) | HAP at 110% ($1,379) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $379 | $504 | $629 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $54 | $179 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,215) to FY 2026 ($1,254). Since FY 2020 it's up 40% in total, about 5.8% 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 | $583 | $757 | $894 | $1,114 | $1,211 | — |
| FY 2021 | $700 | $877 | $1,000 | $1,244 | $1,356 | +11.9% |
| FY 2022 | $650 | $807 | $920 | $1,137 | $1,248 | -8.0% |
| FY 2023 | $654 | $803 | $907 | $1,104 | $1,218 | -1.4% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $723 | $905 | $1,094 | $1,274 | -0.2% |
| FY 2025 | $891 | $934 | $1,215 | $1,464 | $1,827 | +34.3% |
| FY 2026 | $940 | $956 | $1,254 | $1,504 | $1,942 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $961 | $961 | $1,257 | $1,587 | $2,065 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,254 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $940 for a studio, $956 for one bedroom, $1,504 for three and $1,942 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 Dawson actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Dawson for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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