HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Powell County, Montana (FY 2026)
$1,133 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Powell County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Powell is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,133
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,020 to $1,246
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$45,320
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
46th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Powell moves to $1,136. 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 Powell actually rent for?
Search any address in Powell 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 | $849 | $764 to $934 | $33,960 | $16.33/hr | +5.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $884 | $796 to $972 | $35,360 | $17.00/hr | +4.7% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,133 | $1,020 to $1,246 | $45,320 | $21.79/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,576 | $1,418 to $1,734 | $63,040 | $30.31/hr | +2.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,832 | $1,649 to $2,015 | $73,280 | $35.23/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 | $2,107 | $1,896 to $2,318 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,382 | $2,144 to $2,620 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,656 | $2,390 to $2,922 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,931 | $2,638 to $3,224 |
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 Powell, that runs from $849 for a studio up to $1,832 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Powell 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, Avon included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Powell ranks 46th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 13% below the state median of $1,307 and about 11% above the national median county at $1,018. About 6,998 people live here, 30th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,130 in 59722 (Deer Lodge) and $1,520 in 59843 (Helmville), 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 Powell somewhere between $1,020 and $1,246. 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.
$1,133 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $45,320 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% ($1,020) | HAP at 100% ($1,133) | HAP at 110% ($1,246) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $270 | $383 | $496 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $46 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,098) to FY 2026 ($1,133). Since FY 2020 it's up 59% in total, about 8.0% 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 | $542 | $714 | $890 | $1,141 | — |
| FY 2021 | $514 | $557 | $734 | $913 | $1,271 | +2.8% |
| FY 2022 | $535 | $575 | $757 | $970 | $1,296 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $596 | $628 | $826 | $1,105 | $1,407 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $689 | $905 | $1,275 | $1,536 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $806 | $844 | $1,098 | $1,539 | $1,752 | +21.3% |
| FY 2026 | $849 | $884 | $1,133 | $1,576 | $1,832 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $868 | $1,044 | $1,136 | $1,573 | $1,866 | +0.3% |
Nearby counties
Granite County
$1,05324 mi · pop 3,368
Lewis and Clark County
$1,64732 mi · pop 71,487
Deer Lodge County
$1,08034 mi · pop 9,435
Jefferson County
$1,40447 mi · pop 12,273
Silver Bow County
$1,41451 mi · pop 35,306
Missoula County
$1,65560 mi · pop 118,541
Broadwater County
$1,74862 mi · pop 6,977
Ravalli County
$1,42368 mi · pop 44,876
Questions people ask
$1,133 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $849 for a studio, $884 for one bedroom, $1,576 for three and $1,832 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 Powell actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Powell for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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