HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Wheatland County, Montana (FY 2026)
$1,117 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Wheatland County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Wheatland is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,117
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,005 to $1,229
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$44,680
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Montana
47th of 56
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Wheatland moves to $1,119. 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 Wheatland actually rent for?
Search any address in Wheatland 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 | $837 | $753 to $921 | $33,480 | $16.10/hr | +5.4% |
| 1 bedroom | $872 | $785 to $959 | $34,880 | $16.77/hr | +4.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,117 | $1,005 to $1,229 | $44,680 | $21.48/hr | +3.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,553 | $1,398 to $1,708 | $62,120 | $29.87/hr | +10.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,806 | $1,625 to $1,987 | $72,240 | $34.73/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 | $2,077 | $1,869 to $2,285 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $2,348 | $2,113 to $2,583 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,619 | $2,357 to $2,881 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,890 | $2,601 to $3,179 |
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 Wheatland, that runs from $837 for a studio up to $1,806 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
Because Wheatland 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, Harlowton included.
Among Montana's 56 counties, Wheatland ranks 47th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 15% below the state median of $1,307 and about 10% above the national median county at $1,018. About 2,060 people live here, 43rd in the state.
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $1,170 in 59085 (Two Dot) and $1,270 in 59453 (Judith Gap), with the 4 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 Wheatland somewhere between $1,005 and $1,229. 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.
$1,117 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $44,680 a year. Put another way, $21 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% ($1,005) | HAP at 100% ($1,117) | HAP at 110% ($1,229) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $255 | $367 | $479 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $29 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 3% from FY 2025 ($1,082) to FY 2026 ($1,117). Since FY 2020 it's up 52% in total, about 7.2% 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 | $508 | $568 | $736 | $1,010 | $1,176 | — |
| FY 2021 | $514 | $561 | $734 | $913 | $1,150 | -0.3% |
| FY 2022 | $535 | $575 | $757 | $936 | $1,183 | +3.1% |
| FY 2023 | $596 | $628 | $826 | $1,027 | $1,293 | +9.1% |
| FY 2024 | $658 | $689 | $905 | $1,177 | $1,425 | +9.6% |
| FY 2025 | $794 | $832 | $1,082 | $1,408 | $1,726 | +19.6% |
| FY 2026 | $837 | $872 | $1,117 | $1,553 | $1,806 | +3.2% |
| FY 2027 | $855 | $878 | $1,119 | $1,549 | $1,838 | +0.2% |
Nearby counties
Golden Valley County
$1,33934 mi · pop 841
Sweet Grass County
$1,17645 mi · pop 3,697
Meagher County
$1,39346 mi · pop 1,948
Fergus County
$1,44651 mi · pop 11,496
Judith Basin County
$1,16051 mi · pop 2,039
Stillwater County
$1,25761 mi · pop 8,978
Petroleum County
$1,54872 mi · pop 416
Musselshell County
$1,34473 mi · pop 4,924
Questions people ask
$1,117 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $837 for a studio, $872 for one bedroom, $1,553 for three and $1,806 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 Wheatland actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Wheatland for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
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