HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Prairie County, Montana (FY 2026)
A two-bedroom in Prairie County carries a FY 2026 Fair Market Rent of $1,548 a month, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Everything Section 8 pays in Prairie keys off that figure.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,548
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,393 to $1,703
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$61,920
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
10th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Prairie moves to $1,552. 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 Prairie actually rent for?
Search any address in Prairie 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 | $1,160 | $1,044 to $1,276 | $46,400 | $22.31/hr | +5.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,208 | $1,087 to $1,329 | $48,320 | $23.23/hr | +4.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,548 | $1,393 to $1,703 | $61,920 | $29.77/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,139 | $1,925 to $2,353 | $85,560 | $41.13/hr | +4.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,503 | $2,253 to $2,753 | $100,120 | $48.13/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 | $2,878 | $2,590 to $3,166 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $3,254 | $2,929 to $3,579 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,629 | $3,266 to $3,992 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $4,005 | $3,605 to $4,406 |
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 Prairie, that runs from $1,160 for a studio up to $2,503 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Prairie 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, Fallon included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Prairie ranks 10th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 18% above the state median of $1,307 and about 52% above the national median county at $1,018. About 1,283 people live here, 51st in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,550 in 59341 (Mildred) and $1,570 in 59326 (Fallon), 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 Prairie somewhere between $1,393 and $1,703. 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.
$1,548 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $61,920 a year. Put another way, $30 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% ($1,393) | HAP at 100% ($1,548) | HAP at 110% ($1,703) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $643 | $798 | $953 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $193 | $348 | $503 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,500) to FY 2026 ($1,548). Since FY 2020 it's up 75% 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 | $610 | $683 | $885 | $1,214 | $1,414 | — |
| FY 2021 | $641 | $700 | $915 | $1,247 | $1,434 | +3.4% |
| FY 2022 | $610 | $657 | $864 | $1,178 | $1,350 | -5.6% |
| FY 2023 | $670 | $706 | $929 | $1,258 | $1,455 | +7.5% |
| FY 2024 | $725 | $760 | $998 | $1,356 | $1,571 | +7.4% |
| FY 2025 | $1,100 | $1,153 | $1,500 | $2,050 | $2,393 | +50.3% |
| FY 2026 | $1,160 | $1,208 | $1,548 | $2,139 | $2,503 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,186 | $1,218 | $1,552 | $2,149 | $2,549 | +0.3% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,548 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,160 for a studio, $1,208 for one bedroom, $2,139 for three and $2,503 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 Prairie actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Prairie for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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