HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Hill County, Montana (FY 2026)
$1,307 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Hill County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Hill is measured against.
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
29th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Hill 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 Hill actually rent for?
Search any address in Hill 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 | $1,069 | $962 to $1,176 | $42,760 | $20.56/hr | +6.6% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,307 | $1,176 to $1,438 | $52,280 | $25.13/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,724 | $1,552 to $1,896 | $68,960 | $33.15/hr | +3.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,731 | $1,558 to $1,904 | $69,240 | $33.29/hr | +3.2% |
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 | $1,991 | $1,792 to $2,190 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,250 | $2,025 to $2,475 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,510 | $2,259 to $2,761 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,770 | $2,493 to $3,047 |
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 Hill, that runs from $980 for a studio up to $1,731 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Hill 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, Havre included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Hill ranks 29th 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 16,238 people live here, 12th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,140 in 59528 (Hingham) and $1,440 in 59521 (Box Elder), 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 Hill 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 71% in total, about 9.3% 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 | $640 | $644 | $765 | $1,006 | $1,219 | — |
| FY 2021 | $659 | $663 | $796 | $1,062 | $1,200 | +4.1% |
| FY 2022 | $612 | $620 | $767 | $1,052 | $1,113 | -3.6% |
| FY 2023 | $618 | $652 | $829 | $1,130 | $1,134 | +8.1% |
| FY 2024 | $677 | $696 | $905 | $1,201 | $1,205 | +9.2% |
| FY 2025 | $929 | $1,003 | $1,266 | $1,672 | $1,678 | +39.9% |
| FY 2026 | $980 | $1,069 | $1,307 | $1,724 | $1,731 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,001 | $1,077 | $1,310 | $1,814 | $1,925 | +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, $1,069 for one bedroom, $1,724 for three and $1,731 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 Hill actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Hill for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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