HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Musselshell County, Montana (FY 2026)
$1,344 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Musselshell County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Musselshell is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,344
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,210 to $1,478
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$53,760
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
25th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Musselshell moves to $1,348. 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 Musselshell actually rent for?
Search any address in Musselshell 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 | $1,007 | $906 to $1,108 | $40,280 | $19.37/hr | +5.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,226 | $1,103 to $1,349 | $49,040 | $23.58/hr | +21.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,344 | $1,210 to $1,478 | $53,760 | $25.85/hr | +3.1% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,869 | $1,682 to $2,056 | $74,760 | $35.94/hr | +2.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,255 | $2,030 to $2,481 | $90,200 | $43.37/hr | +3.1% |
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 | $2,593 | $2,334 to $2,852 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,932 | $2,639 to $3,225 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,270 | $2,943 to $3,597 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,608 | $3,247 to $3,969 |
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 Musselshell, that runs from $1,007 for a studio up to $2,255 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Musselshell 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, Roundup included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Musselshell ranks 25th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 3% above the state median of $1,307 and about 32% above the national median county at $1,018. About 4,924 people live here, 36th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,320 in 59054 (Melstone) and $1,370 in 59072 (Roundup), 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 Musselshell somewhere between $1,210 and $1,478. 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.
$1,344 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $53,760 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% ($1,210) | HAP at 100% ($1,344) | HAP at 110% ($1,478) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $460 | $594 | $728 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $10 | $144 | $278 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,303) to FY 2026 ($1,344). Since FY 2020 it's up 37% in total, about 5.4% 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 | $637 | $743 | $978 | $1,219 | $1,562 | — |
| FY 2021 | $616 | $708 | $933 | $1,170 | $1,462 | -4.6% |
| FY 2022 | $573 | $655 | $862 | $1,130 | $1,355 | -7.6% |
| FY 2023 | $661 | $697 | $917 | $1,257 | $1,426 | +6.4% |
| FY 2024 | $675 | $707 | $929 | $1,309 | $1,485 | +1.3% |
| FY 2025 | $956 | $1,011 | $1,303 | $1,826 | $2,188 | +40.3% |
| FY 2026 | $1,007 | $1,226 | $1,344 | $1,869 | $2,255 | +3.1% |
| FY 2027 | $1,030 | $1,238 | $1,348 | $1,867 | $2,214 | +0.3% |
Nearby counties
Petroleum County
$1,54835 mi · pop 416
Golden Valley County
$1,33944 mi · pop 841
Yellowstone County
$1,41745 mi · pop 165,524
Treasure County
$1,54853 mi · pop 680
Garfield County
$1,09969 mi · pop 976
Fergus County
$1,44673 mi · pop 11,496
Wheatland County
$1,11773 mi · pop 2,060
Stillwater County
$1,25778 mi · pop 8,978
Questions people ask
$1,344 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,007 for a studio, $1,226 for one bedroom, $1,869 for three and $2,255 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 Musselshell actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Musselshell for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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