HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Fergus County, Montana (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Fergus County is $1,446 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,446
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,301 to $1,591
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$57,840
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
14th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Fergus moves to $1,450. 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 Fergus actually rent for?
Search any address in Fergus 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 | $1,084 | $976 to $1,192 | $43,360 | $20.85/hr | +5.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,102 | $992 to $1,212 | $44,080 | $21.19/hr | +3.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,446 | $1,301 to $1,591 | $57,840 | $27.81/hr | +3.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,991 | $1,792 to $2,190 | $79,640 | $38.29/hr | +8.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,338 | $2,104 to $2,572 | $93,520 | $44.96/hr | +4.5% |
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 | $2,689 | $2,420 to $2,958 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,039 | $2,735 to $3,343 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,390 | $3,051 to $3,729 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,741 | $3,367 to $4,115 |
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 Fergus, that runs from $1,084 for a studio up to $2,338 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Fergus 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, Grass Range included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Fergus ranks 14th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 11% above the state median of $1,307 and about 42% above the national median county at $1,018. About 11,496 people live here, 18th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,350 in 59032 (Grass Range) and $1,600 in 59418 (Buffalo), 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 Fergus somewhere between $1,301 and $1,591. 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.
$1,446 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $57,840 a year. Put another way, $28 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% ($1,301) | HAP at 100% ($1,446) | HAP at 110% ($1,591) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $551 | $696 | $841 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $101 | $246 | $391 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,402) to FY 2026 ($1,446). Since FY 2020 it's up 69% in total, about 9.1% 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 | $592 | $651 | $858 | $1,069 | $1,506 | — |
| FY 2021 | $606 | $656 | $865 | $1,076 | $1,498 | +0.8% |
| FY 2022 | $587 | $632 | $831 | $1,027 | $1,422 | -3.9% |
| FY 2023 | $661 | $697 | $917 | $1,116 | $1,562 | +10.3% |
| FY 2024 | $692 | $725 | $952 | $1,201 | $1,499 | +3.8% |
| FY 2025 | $1,029 | $1,069 | $1,402 | $1,840 | $2,237 | +47.3% |
| FY 2026 | $1,084 | $1,102 | $1,446 | $1,991 | $2,338 | +3.1% |
| FY 2027 | $1,108 | $1,108 | $1,450 | $1,995 | $2,382 | +0.3% |
Nearby counties
Judith Basin County
$1,16038 mi · pop 2,039
Petroleum County
$1,54847 mi · pop 416
Wheatland County
$1,11751 mi · pop 2,060
Golden Valley County
$1,33962 mi · pop 841
Chouteau County
$1,30770 mi · pop 5,897
Musselshell County
$1,34473 mi · pop 4,924
Meagher County
$1,39381 mi · pop 1,948
Cascade County
$1,28491 mi · pop 84,423
Questions people ask
$1,446 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,084 for a studio, $1,102 for one bedroom, $1,991 for three and $2,338 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 Fergus actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Fergus for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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