HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Meagher County, Montana (FY 2026)
$1,393 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Meagher County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Meagher is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,393
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,254 to $1,532
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$55,720
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
22nd of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Meagher moves to $1,396. 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 Meagher actually rent for?
Search any address in Meagher 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 | $1,044 | $940 to $1,148 | $41,760 | $20.08/hr | +5.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,087 | $978 to $1,196 | $43,480 | $20.90/hr | +4.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,393 | $1,254 to $1,532 | $55,720 | $26.79/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,925 | $1,733 to $2,118 | $77,000 | $37.02/hr | +4.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,252 | $2,027 to $2,477 | $90,080 | $43.31/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 | $2,590 | $2,331 to $2,849 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,928 | $2,635 to $3,221 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,265 | $2,939 to $3,592 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,603 | $3,243 to $3,963 |
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 Meagher, that runs from $1,044 for a studio up to $2,252 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Meagher 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, Martinsdale included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Meagher ranks 22nd for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 7% above the state median of $1,307 and about 37% above the national median county at $1,018. About 1,948 people live here, 46th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,330 in 59053 (Martinsdale) and $1,570 in 59642 (Ringling), with the 3 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 Meagher somewhere between $1,254 and $1,532. 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.
$1,393 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $55,720 a year. Put another way, $27 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% ($1,254) | HAP at 100% ($1,393) | HAP at 110% ($1,532) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $504 | $643 | $782 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $54 | $193 | $332 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,350) to FY 2026 ($1,393). Since FY 2020 it's up 85% in total, about 10.8% 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 | $520 | $582 | $754 | $992 | $1,205 | — |
| FY 2021 | $527 | $576 | $753 | $980 | $1,180 | -0.1% |
| FY 2022 | $535 | $575 | $757 | $956 | $1,183 | +0.5% |
| FY 2023 | $596 | $628 | $826 | $1,018 | $1,293 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $689 | $905 | $1,230 | $1,425 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $990 | $1,037 | $1,350 | $1,845 | $2,154 | +49.2% |
| FY 2026 | $1,044 | $1,087 | $1,393 | $1,925 | $2,252 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,067 | $1,096 | $1,396 | $1,933 | $2,293 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Broadwater County
$1,74841 mi · pop 6,977
Wheatland County
$1,11746 mi · pop 2,060
Judith Basin County
$1,16054 mi · pop 2,039
Sweet Grass County
$1,17661 mi · pop 3,697
Jefferson County
$1,40463 mi · pop 12,273
Gallatin County
$2,15464 mi · pop 119,685
Lewis and Clark County
$1,64768 mi · pop 71,487
Cascade County
$1,28472 mi · pop 84,423
Questions people ask
$1,393 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,044 for a studio, $1,087 for one bedroom, $1,925 for three and $2,252 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 Meagher actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Meagher for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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