HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Toole County, Montana (FY 2026)
$1,230 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Toole County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Toole is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,230
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,107 to $1,353
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$49,200
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
37th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Toole moves to $1,233. 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 Toole actually rent for?
Search any address in Toole 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 | $918 | $826 to $1,010 | $36,720 | $17.65/hr | +4.9% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,052 | $947 to $1,157 | $42,080 | $20.23/hr | +3.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,230 | $1,107 to $1,353 | $49,200 | $23.65/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,702 | $1,532 to $1,872 | $68,080 | $32.73/hr | +1.9% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,712 | $1,541 to $1,883 | $68,480 | $32.92/hr | -10.0% |
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 | $1,969 | $1,772 to $2,166 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,226 | $2,003 to $2,449 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,482 | $2,234 to $2,730 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,739 | $2,465 to $3,013 |
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 Toole, that runs from $918 for a studio up to $1,712 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Toole 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, Ethridge included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Toole ranks 37th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 6% below the state median of $1,307 and about 21% above the national median county at $1,018. About 5,018 people live here, 35th in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,190 in 59474 (Shelby) and $1,490 in 59482 (Sunburst), with the 8 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 Toole somewhere between $1,107 and $1,353. 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.
$1,230 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $49,200 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% ($1,107) | HAP at 100% ($1,230) | HAP at 110% ($1,353) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $357 | $480 | $603 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $30 | $153 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,192) to FY 2026 ($1,230). Since FY 2020 it's up 69% in total, about 9.2% 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 | $501 | $638 | $726 | $905 | $1,160 | — |
| FY 2021 | $514 | $630 | $734 | $991 | $1,150 | +1.1% |
| FY 2022 | $535 | $620 | $757 | $1,075 | $1,183 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $596 | $674 | $826 | $1,174 | $1,293 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $806 | $905 | $1,275 | $1,425 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $875 | $1,013 | $1,192 | $1,670 | $1,902 | +31.7% |
| FY 2026 | $918 | $1,052 | $1,230 | $1,702 | $1,712 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $892 | $947 | $1,233 | $1,629 | $1,769 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,230 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $918 for a studio, $1,052 for one bedroom, $1,702 for three and $1,712 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 Toole actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Toole for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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