HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Richland County, Montana (FY 2026)
$1,312 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Richland County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Richland is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,312
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,181 to $1,443
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$52,480
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
27th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Richland moves to $1,315. 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 Richland actually rent for?
Search any address in Richland 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 | $1,143 | $1,029 to $1,257 | $45,720 | $21.98/hr | +22.6% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,197 | $1,077 to $1,317 | $47,880 | $23.02/hr | +4.3% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,312 | $1,181 to $1,443 | $52,480 | $25.23/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,573 | $1,416 to $1,730 | $62,920 | $30.25/hr | +2.7% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,201 | $1,981 to $2,421 | $88,040 | $42.33/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 | $2,531 | $2,278 to $2,784 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,861 | $2,575 to $3,147 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $3,191 | $2,872 to $3,510 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $3,522 | $3,170 to $3,874 |
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 Richland, that runs from $1,143 for a studio up to $2,201 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Richland 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, Crane included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Richland ranks 27th for two-bedroom FMR. That's within a couple percent of the state median of $1,307 and about 29% above the national median county at $1,018. About 11,366 people live here, 19th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,150 in 59262 (Savage) and $1,740 in 59243 (Lambert), with the 5 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 Richland somewhere between $1,181 and $1,443. 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.
$1,312 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $52,480 a year. Put another way, $25 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% ($1,181) | HAP at 100% ($1,312) | HAP at 110% ($1,443) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $431 | $562 | $693 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $112 | $243 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,271) to FY 2026 ($1,312). Since FY 2020 it's up 34% in total, about 4.9% 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 | $677 | $746 | $982 | $1,224 | $1,497 | — |
| FY 2021 | $672 | $728 | $960 | $1,194 | $1,413 | -2.2% |
| FY 2022 | $628 | $676 | $890 | $1,157 | $1,280 | -7.3% |
| FY 2023 | $663 | $699 | $920 | $1,131 | $1,567 | +3.4% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $795 | $905 | $1,101 | $1,536 | -1.6% |
| FY 2025 | $932 | $1,148 | $1,271 | $1,531 | $2,134 | +40.4% |
| FY 2026 | $1,143 | $1,197 | $1,312 | $1,573 | $2,201 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $1,160 | $1,176 | $1,315 | $1,567 | $2,198 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,312 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $1,143 for a studio, $1,197 for one bedroom, $1,573 for three and $2,201 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 Richland actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Richland for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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