HUD Fair Market Rent · FY 2026 · effective Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026
Fair Market Rent in Dakota County, Nebraska (FY 2026)
$1,154 a month. That's HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Dakota County, and it's the baseline every voucher in Dakota is measured against.
2 bedroom FMR
$1,154
FY 2026, utilities included
Payment standard range
$1,039 to $1,269
90% to 110% of FMR
Income to afford 2BR
$46,160
per year, at 30% of income
Rank in Nebraska
6th of 93
by 2BR FMR
HUD has already published FY 2027. On October 1, 2026 the two-bedroom rate in Dakota moves to $1,194. That's up 3%. The full FY 2027 table is in the history section below.
HUD's number is one input. What does a two-bedroom in Dakota actually rent for?
Search any address in Dakota 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 | $796 | $716 to $876 | $31,840 | $15.31/hr | +11.3% |
| 1 bedroom | $925 | $833 to $1,018 | $37,000 | $17.79/hr | +13.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,154 | $1,039 to $1,269 | $46,160 | $22.19/hr | +10.6% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,386 | $1,247 to $1,525 | $55,440 | $26.65/hr | +10.3% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,528 | $1,375 to $1,681 | $61,120 | $29.38/hr | +10.5% |
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 | $1,757 | $1,581 to $1,933 |
| 6 bedroom Estimate | $1,986 | $1,787 to $2,185 |
| 7 bedroom Estimate | $2,216 | $1,994 to $2,438 |
| 8 bedroom Estimate | $2,445 | $2,201 to $2,690 |
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 Dakota, that runs from $796 for a studio up to $1,528 for four bedrooms, all five rates in the table above.
This is a metro rate. The county doesn't get one of its own. HUD lumps Dakota in with 2 other counties in the Sioux City metro, Woodbury County, Union County among them, and every one of them gets $1,154 for a two-bedroom. Where you are inside the metro doesn't change the county number. It does change the ZIP number, covered below.
Among Nebraska's 93 counties, Dakota ranks 6th for two-bedroom FMR. That's about 20% above the state median of $961 and about 13% above the national median county at $1,018. About 21,308 people live here, 16th in the state.
Counties sharing the Sioux City metro rate
Rates by ZIP code
Zoom in and the picture changes. HUD's Small Area FMRs put a two-bedroom at $960 in 68733 (Emerson) and $1,510 in 68741 (Hubbard), with the 6 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 Dakota somewhere between $1,039 and $1,269. 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.
$1,154 a month is affordable, by HUD's 30% rule, on an income of roughly $46,160 a year. Put another way, $22 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% ($1,039) | HAP at 100% ($1,154) | HAP at 110% ($1,269) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $289 | $404 | $519 |
| $4,000 | $1,200 | $0 | $0 | $69 |
Rate history
The two-bedroom rate went up 11% from FY 2025 ($1,043) to FY 2026 ($1,154). Since FY 2020 it's up 44% in total, about 6.2% a year. The Nebraska median moved up 6% over the same year.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR | 4 BR | 2BR change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2020 | $523 | $610 | $803 | $1,001 | $1,088 | — |
| FY 2021 | $549 | $631 | $832 | $1,035 | $1,128 | +3.6% |
| FY 2022 | $578 | $661 | $870 | $1,075 | $1,180 | +4.6% |
| FY 2023 | $620 | $705 | $928 | $1,139 | $1,247 | +6.7% |
| FY 2024 | $685 | $780 | $1,010 | $1,228 | $1,345 | +8.8% |
| FY 2025 | $715 | $818 | $1,043 | $1,257 | $1,383 | +3.3% |
| FY 2026 | $796 | $925 | $1,154 | $1,386 | $1,528 | +10.6% |
| FY 2027 | $831 | $965 | $1,194 | $1,447 | $1,618 | +3.5% |
Nearby counties
Questions people ask
$1,154 a month for FY 2026, which runs October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The other rates are $796 for a studio, $925 for one bedroom, $1,386 for three and $1,528 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 Dakota actually go for?
HUD's number is one input. Search any address in Dakota for a rent estimate built from nearby comps. 3 free searches, no card.
Free tier. No credit card.