HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2027 · Effective Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027
Fair Market Rent in Powell County, Montana (FY 2027)
$1,136 a month. That's HUD's FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Powell County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Powell is measured against.
Two-bedroom FMR
$1,136
+0.3% from FY 2026
Payment standard
$1,022–$1,250
90% to 110% of the FMR, two-bedroom
Income to afford
$45,440
a year, with rent at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
46th of 56
by two-bedroom FMR, highest first
FY 2027 Fair Market Rents
Payment standard is the 90% to 110% band a housing authority can set. Income needed puts rent at 30% of gross income, and the hourly wage assumes a 40-hour week.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard | Income needed | Hourly wage | vs FY 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $868 | $781–$955 | $34,720 | $16.69/hr | +2.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,044 | $940–$1,148 | $41,760 | $20.08/hr | +18.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,136 | $1,022–$1,250 | $45,440 | $21.85/hr | +0.3% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,573 | $1,416–$1,730 | $62,920 | $30.25/hr | -0.2% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,866 | $1,679–$2,053 | $74,640 | $35.88/hr | +1.9% |
Five to eight 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 | $2,146 | $1,931–$2,361 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,426 | $2,183–$2,669 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,706 | $2,435–$2,977 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,986 | $2,687–$3,285 |
Source: HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY 2027 Fair Market Rents. Rents include utilities. huduser.gov
Market check
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.
No card needed
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 $1,022 and $1,250. 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.
$1,136 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $45,440 a year. Put another way, $22 an hour full time.
Worked example for a two-bedroom renting at the payment standard. The tenant pays 30% of monthly income and the voucher covers the rest.
| Monthly household income | Tenant pays (30%) | Voucher pays at 90%$1,022 | Voucher pays at 100%$1,136 | Voucher pays at 110%$1,250 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $272 | $386 | $500 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $50 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 0% from FY 2026 ($1,133) to FY 2027 ($1,136). Since FY 2020 it's up 59% in total, about 6.9% a year. The Montana median held flat over the same year.
| Fiscal 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 2027In effect | $868 | $1,044 | $1,136 | $1,573 | $1,866 | +0.3% |
About this rate
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 2027 that's October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. In Powell, that runs from $868 for a studio up to $1,866 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 $1,310 and about 7% above the national median county at $1,063. About 7,053 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 $1,530 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.
Nearby counties
Two-bedroom FMR, with how each compares to Powell.
Granite County
24 mi · 3,462 people
$1,055
-7%
Lewis and Clark County
32 mi · 73,464 people
$1,653
+46%
Deer Lodge County
34 mi · 9,597 people
$1,082
-5%
Jefferson County
47 mi · 12,774 people
$1,410
+24%
Silver Bow County
51 mi · 35,785 people
$1,417
+25%
Missoula County
60 mi · 120,672 people
$1,690
+49%
Broadwater County
62 mi · 7,668 people
$1,755
+54%
Ravalli County
68 mi · 46,727 people
$1,426
+26%
Questions people ask
$1,136 a month for FY 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The other rates are $868 for a studio, $1,044 for one bedroom, $1,573 for three and $1,866 for four.
Tools for this county
Fair Market Rent lookup
Any ZIP code's Small Area FMR by bedroom count
Section 8 rent calculator
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
The 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. Free to start, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.