HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Pondera County, Montana (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Pondera County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,254 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Pondera keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,254
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,129 to $1,379
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$50,160
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
35th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Pondera moves to $1,257. 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 Pondera actually rent for?
Search any address in Pondera 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 | $940 | $846 to $1,034 | $37,600 | $18.08/hr | +5.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,144 | $1,030 to $1,258 | $45,760 | $22.00/hr | +4.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,254 | $1,129 to $1,379 | $50,160 | $24.12/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,619 | $1,457 to $1,781 | $64,760 | $31.13/hr | +4.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,892 | $1,703 to $2,081 | $75,680 | $36.38/hr | -0.6% |
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 | $2,176 | $1,958 to $2,394 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,460 | $2,214 to $2,706 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,743 | $2,469 to $3,017 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,027 | $2,724 to $3,330 |
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 Pondera, that runs from $940 for a studio up to $1,892 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Pondera 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, Brady included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Pondera ranks 35th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 4% below the state median of $1,307 and about 23% above the national median county at $1,018. About 5,987 people live here, 33rd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,120 in 59486 (Valier) and $1,310 in 59416 (Brady), with the 6 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 Pondera somewhere between $1,129 and $1,379. 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.
$1,254 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $50,160 a year. Put another way, $24 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% ($1,129) | HAP at 100% ($1,254) | HAP at 110% ($1,379) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $379 | $504 | $629 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $54 | $179 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,215) to FY 2026 ($1,254). Since FY 2020 it's up 76% in total, about 9.8% 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 | $492 | $603 | $714 | $1,030 | $1,161 | — |
| FY 2021 | $514 | $636 | $734 | $1,050 | $1,215 | +2.8% |
| FY 2022 | $535 | $664 | $757 | $1,075 | $1,296 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $596 | $731 | $826 | $1,144 | $1,407 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $806 | $905 | $1,198 | $1,536 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $891 | $1,097 | $1,215 | $1,549 | $1,904 | +34.3% |
| FY 2026 | $940 | $1,144 | $1,254 | $1,619 | $1,892 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $961 | $1,030 | $1,257 | $1,705 | $2,023 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,254 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $940 for a studio, $1,144 for one bedroom, $1,619 for three and $1,892 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 Pondera actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Pondera for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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