HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Golden Valley County, Montana (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Golden Valley County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,339 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Golden Valley keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,339
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,205 to $1,473
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$53,560
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
26th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Golden Valley moves to $1,342. 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 Golden Valley actually rent for?
Search any address in Golden Valley 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 | $1,004 | $904 to $1,104 | $40,160 | $19.31/hr | +5.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,045 | $941 to $1,150 | $41,800 | $20.10/hr | +5.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,339 | $1,205 to $1,473 | $53,560 | $25.75/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,862 | $1,676 to $2,048 | $74,480 | $35.81/hr | +4.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,165 | $1,949 to $2,382 | $86,600 | $41.63/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 | $2,490 | $2,241 to $2,739 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,815 | $2,534 to $3,097 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,139 | $2,825 to $3,453 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,464 | $3,118 to $3,810 |
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 Golden Valley, that runs from $1,004 for a studio up to $2,165 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Golden Valley 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, Lavina included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Golden Valley ranks 26th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 2% above the state median of $1,307 and about 32% above the national median county at $1,018. About 841 people live here, 54th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,280 in 59074 (Ryegate) and $1,440 in 59046 (Lavina), with the 2 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 Golden Valley somewhere between $1,205 and $1,473. 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.
$1,339 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $53,560 a year. Put another way, $26 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% ($1,205) | HAP at 100% ($1,339) | HAP at 110% ($1,473) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $455 | $589 | $723 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $5 | $139 | $273 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,298) to FY 2026 ($1,339). Since FY 2020 it's up 77% in total, about 9.9% 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 | $484 | $574 | $758 | $1,059 | $1,289 | — |
| FY 2021 | $495 | $569 | $750 | $1,073 | $1,232 | -1.1% |
| FY 2022 | $549 | $591 | $778 | $1,105 | $1,215 | +3.7% |
| FY 2023 | $653 | $688 | $905 | $1,273 | $1,417 | +16.3% |
| FY 2024 | $688 | $721 | $947 | $1,245 | $1,491 | +4.6% |
| FY 2025 | $952 | $989 | $1,298 | $1,786 | $2,071 | +37.1% |
| FY 2026 | $1,004 | $1,045 | $1,339 | $1,862 | $2,165 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,026 | $1,053 | $1,342 | $1,858 | $2,204 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Wheatland County
$1,11734 mi · pop 2,060
Musselshell County
$1,34444 mi · pop 4,924
Yellowstone County
$1,41745 mi · pop 165,524
Stillwater County
$1,25746 mi · pop 8,978
Sweet Grass County
$1,17648 mi · pop 3,697
Petroleum County
$1,54857 mi · pop 416
Fergus County
$1,44662 mi · pop 11,496
Carbon County
$1,41768 mi · pop 10,645
Questions people ask
$1,339 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,004 for a studio, $1,045 for one bedroom, $1,862 for three and $2,165 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 Golden Valley actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Golden Valley for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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