HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Judith Basin County, Montana (FY 2026)
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Judith Basin County is $1,160 a month. That's the number the housing authority starts from when it sets Section 8 payment standards here.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,160
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,044 to $1,276
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$46,400
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
45th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Judith Basin moves to $1,162. 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 Judith Basin actually rent for?
Search any address in Judith Basin 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 | $869 | $782 to $956 | $34,760 | $16.71/hr | +5.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $905 | $815 to $996 | $36,200 | $17.40/hr | +4.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,160 | $1,044 to $1,276 | $46,400 | $22.31/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,583 | $1,425 to $1,741 | $63,320 | $30.44/hr | +14.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,875 | $1,688 to $2,063 | $75,000 | $36.06/hr | +4.6% |
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 | $2,156 | $1,940 to $2,372 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,438 | $2,194 to $2,682 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,719 | $2,447 to $2,991 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,000 | $2,700 to $3,300 |
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 Judith Basin, that runs from $869 for a studio up to $1,875 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Judith Basin 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, Geyser included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Judith Basin ranks 45th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 11% below the state median of $1,307 and about 14% above the national median county at $1,018. About 2,039 people live here, 44th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,160 in 59452 (Hobson) and $1,340 in 59462 (Moccasin), with the 5 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 Judith Basin somewhere between $1,044 and $1,276. 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.
$1,160 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $46,400 a year. Put another way, $22 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% ($1,044) | HAP at 100% ($1,160) | HAP at 110% ($1,276) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $294 | $410 | $526 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $76 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,124) to FY 2026 ($1,160). Since FY 2020 it's up 62% in total, about 8.4% 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 | $492 | $551 | $714 | $978 | $1,141 | — |
| FY 2021 | $514 | $561 | $734 | $913 | $1,150 | +2.8% |
| FY 2022 | $535 | $575 | $757 | $936 | $1,183 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $596 | $628 | $826 | $1,005 | $1,293 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $689 | $905 | $1,094 | $1,425 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $825 | $864 | $1,124 | $1,383 | $1,793 | +24.2% |
| FY 2026 | $869 | $905 | $1,160 | $1,583 | $1,875 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $888 | $912 | $1,162 | $1,609 | $1,909 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Fergus County
$1,44638 mi · pop 11,496
Chouteau County
$1,30749 mi · pop 5,897
Wheatland County
$1,11751 mi · pop 2,060
Meagher County
$1,39354 mi · pop 1,948
Cascade County
$1,28455 mi · pop 84,423
Golden Valley County
$1,33978 mi · pop 841
Petroleum County
$1,54884 mi · pop 416
Broadwater County
$1,74888 mi · pop 6,977
Questions people ask
$1,160 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $869 for a studio, $905 for one bedroom, $1,583 for three and $1,875 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 Judith Basin actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Judith Basin for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.